Survivor: The Forty-Seventh Hunger Games
by LadyCordeliaStuart
Summary: Yeah, I went there. Buckle up, suckers.
1. One Reaping

**I have an actual pair this time! We're getting closer.**

* * *

Charming Goodwin, 18 (D1)

It was a little-known fact among Academy students that there were strategy classes in addition to combat classes. Perhaps I was being a little ungracious, but it seemed like there were never as many people in those classes as there should have been. What few other students were in the room were all great volunteer candidates, and I would have been happy if any of them had been picked. I was also happy that _I_ had been picked, but I was politely trying not to show it.

The unpopularity of the strategy classes meant that the students involved always had easy acccess to an advisor. We were all assigned one at the beginning of the year, but even in a District as strong as One, there were more eager candidates than actual Victors. The strategy advisors often never actually volunteered. Perhaps that said something about the intelligence of doing so.

My advisor was an ivory-skinned, dark-haired man named Tang. I'd learned a lot from him already. I started out at the Academy ready to burst onto the scene and blow everyone else away. I knew now that it was good to be good at one thing, but better to work even harder and have lots of skills to count on. It was Tang that told me I should learn a long-range weapon as well and not rely solely on a sword. It was embarrassing at first to practice in front of people when I was bad, but I was getting good enough now that it wasn't as goofy-looking.

"Okay, so work hard, keep an eye on everyone else, and make connections," I said as Tang and I went over my plan again. He peeked at the cameras before he responded.

"Rumor has it things are going to be different this year," he said.

"Oh no. What does that mean?" I asked, thinking about the crazy stuff that went down whenever some Capitol lunatic decided it was time for a "Resurrection Games".

"This is _just a rumor,_ mind you, and if it _was_ true, it would be against the rules to talk about it. But if I was allowed to advise based on it, I would suggest you spend more time keeping your alliance strong," Tang said. That could have meant anything from a team-based Games (which I would have hated) to paired eliminations (which would have been even worse).

"That... sounds really ominous," I said.

"Let's hope it's just a silly rumor," Tang said.

We never would have told the outliers, but even volunteers had trouble sleeping the night before Reaping day. Most of the people in One wouldn't even have guessed it. Around town, I was somewhat of a golden boy. I came from a happy family, even though we weren't the richest. I got good grades and went on dates with wholesome girls. I did well at the Academy and obviously got picked to volunteer. What bothered me was that none of that really mattered. I could be the smartest, sweetest, handsomest, most modest boy in the District (I wasn't, by the way), but none of that would matter at all if I came back from the Games in a coffin. Bad fighters died in the Games. So did a lot of good fighters.

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, 18 (D1)

Run from problems, run from my genes, run from my troubles. I could never run fast enough.

I wasn't fast enough to save my friends from a freak nightmare that shocked even the bloodthirsty people of One. I wasn't fast enough to dodge my mother's slaps, and I wasn't fast enough to get away when the Peacekeepers came. I wasn't fast enough to outrun the bottle that always hovered at the back of my mind. I was faster than anyone else at the Academy, but never fast enough. Ever since that first day I wasn't fast enough, I hardly deserved to outrun anything bad that happened to me.

Students and alumni of the Academy were responsible for dozens of dead kids, but the Academy was what saved my life. Having something to work toward and strive for kept me sane. Every minute I spent devoting all my mental energy to training was a minute I could block out the siren call of past vices and bad memories. If I won the Games, I would be good enough for once. I worked like a madwoman to get picked to volunteer, and it paid off. Once I was picked, I worked even harder to make sure they'd made the right choice.

It was hot on Reaping day. I'd worn my good black dress, and I was starting to regret it. No one expected volunteers to dress up anyway. Often the volunteers wore athletic wear to show off their forms and so they could hop onstage easily. Some of us were more vain and preferred fancy dress, but there was no expectation either way. I'd worn my good dress to show everyone I took this seriously, but I realized I'd put a lot more thought into it than anyone in the audience.

Philomena called the girls first this year. "Mellifluence Shard!" she announced. She let the girl, a young brunette, get onstage before she continued. Since few people in One took tesserae, we had more young people get Reaped than most Districts. Not that it mattered, since they never went in.

"Do we have any volunteers?" Philomena asked.

"I volunteer as Tribute!" I said. It wasn't the grandiose gesture some volunteers made it into. I was the chosen volunteer and I did it. I didn't need fanfare.

I was indifferent when Charming joined me. Oftentimes the instructors at the Academy tried to encourage the chosen pair to get to know each other to maximize One's chances, but we never really hit it off. I was sure he was competent, but we hadn't spoken much. I was too busy worrying about myself to think about anyone else.

"Do you have anything to say?" Philomena asked. It was tradition in One to make a speech. It probably was in Two and Four also, but I couldn't be sure, since not everything was shown on television.

My own speech was short and polite. "I am grateful for this chance to represent my District. I thank everyone who helped me get here. No one wins the Games alone, and I'm endlessly thankful for your support. Above all, I won't let you down."


	2. Two Reaping

**Here's the Two girl! Shoutout to Ibelieveinnargles for making a Two BOY and letting me make him into a girl.**

* * *

Abrexa James, jr. 18(D2F)

Parents bring life to their children, and sometimes they bring death, too. I could have done a lot of things with my life. I was always good in school. My psychology teacher told me I should try for a scholarship. He had such high hopes for me. I used to dream about putting in for a college spot and how proud he would be, escpecially when I told him I was going to stop training. But that was never an option for me.

People always told me I could be anything I wanted. Everyone said "follow your dreams" and "be your own person". No one actually meant that. It wasn't that easy. I hated training from the day my mother marched me to the Academy and enrolled me as I pleaded that I didn't want to. The only time she was ever proud of me was when I did well in class or when an Academy teacher talked about my potential. Everyone in my family was looking forward to seeing me win. They talked about how great it would be for the family and how I was doing this for all of them. It was harder to follow your dream when everything in your life was dead set against it. If I didn't volunteer, I didn't know if I would have a mother anymore. The Academy said it would make us strong, but I wasn't that strong.

We had a guest escort this year, since our usual one caught sick. Some intern blushed up on the stage, hoping she wouldn't mess everything up and wishing she hadn't complained about wanting more as she fetched coffee for highers-up.

"Hello, everyone! I'm Nikki File, and I'm your substitute name-picker this year! How about... I do the boys first?" she said. "Manuel Guerrero!"

I waited for Pollux to volunteer, but he kept quiet. _For once,_ I thought. _Of all the times for Pollux Basalt to keep quiet..._ I didn't even know Manuel, but he looked surprisingly unscared as he took his place.

"That was weird. Usually someone volunteers," Nikki said, looking around nervously. "Oh well. Maybe the girls. I'll pick... Tallulah Chisholm! Do I have any volunteers?"

I had about thirty seconds to volunteer. I took the time to savor my last moments out of danger. If I wanted to throw it all off and live my own life, this was the time. I felt my mother's disapproving glare at the thought, followed by Artemis Krueger's side-eyed stare as she hoped my after-class complaints would come to life.

"I volunteer as Tribute," I said, the words sour in my mouth. I didn't shout it, like most volunteers. I had nothing to be enthusiastic about. I merely said it loud enough for Nikki to hear it. As always, I did the bare minimum others expected of me.

"Wonderful! Come on up!" Nikki said. We went through the pomp and circumstance afforded to volunteers in Two.

I started making my plans as I waited in the Justice Hall. Manuel not being a Career was going to change things. Despite my ambivalence toward him, I'd worked hard at making Pollux an ally. In my opinion, the best way to win was to have everyone think you were their friend. That was going to be a lot harder with a non-Career partner. On the bright side, Manuel wouldn't know about my unsavory reputation for lying.

* * *

Manny Guerrero

Another reaping day. Business as usual here in district two. I check in just in time and here I stand in a sea of fifteen year old boys. It's gonna go down the same as every year before has: Crazy capital person makes a speech, picks a boy and a girl, and volunteers step up to replace each. The crowd cheers.

I start to think about how the Games couldn't be any worse than my life has been. My parents both died when our house burned down three years ago. Shortly after that, my younger sister, Mia, was crippled when a group of career trainees decided they wanted to have some "live practice" outside of the training center. Since then, I've been doing what I can to take care of my broken sister and also take my revenge out on any career I can. School hasn't been possible since then. Sad, since I really excelled there. But me and my slingshot have been the cause of many a broken finger, busted nose, swollen eye-not major injuries, but major enough to ruin a trainee's chances of getting picked to volunteer for the games.

Then I hear, "Manuel Guerrero!" My first thought: It's Manny! No one calls me Manuel except… Then I realize what's missing: No one volunteered. The peacekeepers are already approaching to escort me up to the stage. They know it's me that will end up there. They have their hands on me; no career is volunteering to take my place… "Mia, Mia!" I shout. I scream, wail her name. "Mia!" I thrash against the peacekeepers' grip, anything to get away, to get to Mia, waiting for me in our hidden corner of the alley. I feel a hard knock on the top of my head, then blackness.

I wake up, in the justice building I assume. Across the room, I notice a man and woman, nervously standing and looking at me. Something seems familiar about them.

"Who are you, and why are you here" I ask.

Than man answers, "We don't have much time left. I'm your uncle and this is your aunt. We've been watching over you since your parents died. Your parents wanted us to stay out of your life because of our support for the careers in training. We're so sorry; we should have met a long time ago. We know Mia is still alive. If you would like, we'll take care of her for you…"

It takes a few moments to fully comprehend this load of information. Flashes of emotion race through me—anger, sadness, confusion—each one I'm sure registers on my face. But then all I can feel is gratitude, thankful that I can leave knowing Mia will be okay. Slowly, I walk over to them, wrap them in a huge hug, and whisper, "Thank you."

After they leave, I think back to the reaping just minutes before, fidgeting with Mia's bright pink hair tie.

Everyone who saw me scream and cry must think I'm a big baby-or just plain mental.

I have to show them I'm more than that…

I have to show the Careers I'm more than a match for them.

* * *

 **Only a few left now. Almost there! Remember, the FIVE MALE slot is now open.**


	3. Three Reaping

**Okay now they're REALLY all here**

* * *

Ashton "Ash" Summers, 15

Every year I was shoved into a crowd of hundreds of children, and that was the only time I felt alone. Society stopped when the Reapings began. We weren't a community anymore, supporting each other and working together to scratch out a life with the crusts and leftovers the Capitol left us. I didn't have a sister or a girlfriend anymore, or any friends. There was only me. I was focused on Bubbles, but she wasn't a person during the Reaping. She was a voice attached to a hand that carried a paper with a name. The whole world was that paper.

I wasn't much of a philosopher. I was fifteen years old. I didn't know anything outside of Three, much less outside of the world. All the same, I was calling on something in my head. I didn't know who it was, or why it made a world like this, but I was praying that this one time, it would do something.

 _Make it not me,_ I prayed. Even if it was listening, it might not want to answer such a selfish prayer. Or maybe someone else prayed harder, and what might have been his name was switched to mine. But morals didn't bother me, because morals didn't exist during the Reaping.

The ruler of the world dipped a hand into the bowl and drew out the future. The paper was thin and frail, flapping in the slight breeze. It didn't hide its power. The germ that started a pandemic was even smaller. The future unfolded in front of us and a voice read it out.

"Ashton Summers!"

My first impulse was to find my sister. Until I heard my name, I'd forgotten that the girls had already been picked. It wasn't her, though. She was in the crowd, looking back at me with a tear-stained face. My next thought was for my girlfriend Taylor. She wasn't the girl on the stage, so I swept the crowd as I moved inevitably forward to take my place. She was crying, too. I'd never seen her cry before. Everything in the world could change that fast.

"It will be okay," Lucy said during our ten minutes to say goodbye. My parents were discussing something by the door. They didn't see each other much, which made me and Lucy happy. It also meant we had to live apart, but we made do.

"Three is about due for another winner," I said. I had the same smile I'd had on since I got to the stage. It was my natural expression, and wearing it made it feel like at least one thing was still right about the world.

"You never change," Lucy said. People so often believed the easiest thing. People wanted to think other people were happy. They never asked how it was possible that I was always smiling. Most of the time, I _was_ really happy, but sometimes, it was just an expression. No one had found me out so far, and it seemed likely I would keep that secret until I died.

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, 17 (D3F)

It took ages to put her all together. I had to scavenge wires and metal from all over District Three, from melted coins (which wasn't _exactly_ legal but no one cared if it was only the cheapest coins) to gutting my old night light. I had to lay them all together just so like a technological Dr. Frankenstein so everything worked and one tiny glitch didn't make the whole thing catch on fire. Finally, after dozens of false starts, she was ready to display.

"Mom! Dad! I finished her!" I yelled from my basement lair. I heard my parents running down the steps, eager to see the masterpiece I'd been refusing to let them see. I swept out my arms toward my knee-high work table and presented my invention.

"I call her Ada," I said. Ada was a little square robot about the size of a small cat. She had a screen on her face and one bionic arm, just like mine. That was most of the reason I'd grown so attached to her, along with all the hours I spent making her. She was like my baby and my twin all at once.

"What does she do?" Dad asked. I turned her over to show her power bank.

"She runs on normal wireless batteries, so she can go on forever. Mostly she organizes," I said. I opened a compartment and pulled out the handheld computer keyboard I'd wired into her.

"I couldn't get her to transcribe voices, but you can type in messages and she reminds you. Even though she can't understand _my_ voice, _she_ can still talk or read off text," I said. I tapped some letters on the keyboard. _Ada, say "hello, Mom and Dad"_

"Hello, Mom and Dad," Ada said. It was my voice, since I'd recorded me saying all the letters, plus combination letter sounds and a few basic words. I could keep adding more and she'd get smarter all the way. Mom and Dad laughed, since I'd recorded the words with a goofy Capitol accent. It amused me that Ada would be a very posh robot.

"What does the arm do?" Mom asked.

"It doesn't really do much," I admitted. "It can hold a pencil, but she can't write. Maybe someday." I just really wanted her to have an arm for cosmetic purposes. "She can give me a high five," I added, and I gently high-fived her. I was still wearing the rubber glove on my metal hand. I'd been lazy at first, but I hadn't forgotten ever since I zapped myself trying to wire her facescreen.

"Maybe now you won't forget your homework," Dad said. I stuck my tongue out at him. It was hard to concentrate on silly things like sentence diagrams and geography when I only cared about the science and engineering that might let me do my dream job someday of making Capitol mutts. If the Games were going to go on anyway, they at least should have really cool mutts. My favorite was the phoenix. It was from before I was born, but I could tell even from the footage that it bent light somehow, and that was wicked cool.

"It's pretty impressive, girl," Dad said. He already worked for the Capitol, so hearing him say that was the best thing that could have happened.

"Good enough to work in the Capitol?" I asked.

"You better wait until you're at least old enough to cross the street by yourself," Dad said. But he was just fooling. I was eleven years old. I'd been able to cross the street for three years.


	4. Four Reaping

**THAT'S ALL, FOLKS! Now I can start writing super fast!**

* * *

Jackie Hawkins, Age TBD (D4F)

Four was getting weird this year. Rumor had it they had some twist for the Games. Most of us thought it was just gossip, but the volunteer council at the Academy must have decided to be safe and not sorry, because the selection process was way different this year. Usually we all trained our hardest and the volunteer was notified a few weeks before the Games, though we could usually tell who it was far before that. It was three days from the Reaping, and my entire class had been summoned for a day of very odd tests.

The majority of the day was spent filling out a ton of questionnaires about ourselves. It wasn't math or science stuff, just a bunch of questions like you'd find in a teen magazine. I couldn't even tell what they wanted to hear, so I just answered honestly.

"Are you a leader or a follower? Be detailed." _I can be a leader if I have to,_ I wrote. _I'm not aggressive about it, though. I want to win, not to be powerful._

"What do you really think about your allies?" _We all want to win, of course. If we were the last two, I'd try to kill them. Until then, I don't want to pick fights. Allies are good to have._

"What is your strategy in the Games?" I took longer to answer that one. If there was the slightest chance anyone else might see this paper, even my partner's mentor, it could shoot me in the foot. I settled on a vague, nearly true answer. _Avoid unnecessary fights, but be tough when I have to._

Next was a series of 1-10 scales for a variety of attributes. Mindful that my scores would probably be compared to how my instructors scored me, I rated myself 8 for weapons, 4 for survival, 7 for speed, 7 for strength, 8 for sponsor popularity, 5 for ferocity, 6 for endurance, 8 for intuition, and 7 for intelligence. I tooted my own horn for "charisma" and gave myself a 10.

"What would most likely kill you?" _Either I get mad at my allies and pull away, or natural causes._

"How would you most likely win?" _I would keep one or two good allies until the last moment and then do what I had to._

"What is your greatest strength?" _Social networking._

"What is your greatest weakness?" _Sometimes I act out of emotion._

We all clustered in the halls after the tests were finished, whispering about how bizarre they were and wondering what it was about. I sat on a bench with my friends Marin and Ahi, both of whom also wanted to go to the Games.

"What was that about?" Ahi asked.

"Maybe the Capitol is going to vote for the winner this time," I said.

"Oh, no! They'll vote for One or Two," Ahi said.

"If they pick me, will you two send me lots of stuff?" Marin asked.

"We'll have a fundraiser. We'll send you a tank," I said. Marin was the least gung-ho of our trio, and Ahi was the most devoted. I _did_ really want to go, and I trained my hardest, but I had back-up plans. This wasn't the only path in life.

Another day passed before I got called to the headmaster's office. My first thought was that I'd broken some rule during training. When I saw the five most senior instructors gathered around a table, I knew what was going on. I didn't know why, but they'd picked me. We'd find out their reasons, and whether or not they were good ones.

* * *

Reefe Mordecai, 16 (D4)

I could hold a spear or throw a javelin, but I could also hold a guitar or throw down a sick beat. I knew which one I preferred. I'd done my time in the Academy, but I was never the best. You could only be really good at one thing in life, and music just meant more to me. Getting to drop out was one of the better parts about being suddenly thrown into poverty. The only good part, really. The rest pretty much sucked.

It used to be I could spend half the day training and half the day playing instruments. After my mother died- she was the breadwinner- we couldn't afford to send me to the Academy, but we also couldn't afford to rent or buy instruments. Whatever money I could scrape together went toward saving my collection, and the rest I borrowed or begged from sympathetic tutors or richer music lovers.

Most kids in Panem were terrified today, but people in Four had nothing to worry about. We weren't as enthusiastic as One and Two, but there were always enough thrill-seekers or honor-lovers to cover us. The Reapings were only a formality here. It was only once every five years or so that anyone actually got Reaped. The rest all volunteered, and some of them even came home. Most of them were pretty chill, like Careen, but we _did_ have a few weirdos like Shane.

Since I didn't have to spend the morning paralyzed with fear and frantically drawing up a will, I had time to organize my collection and clean them before I left. Some of my instruments were a little worse for the wear, since I salvaged damaged ones from people who would have thrown them out or because they were already ancient when the guy before me bought them, but they were always shiny and neat. I laid them all out prettily and left with Aria and Storm for the Reaping.

Reapings were a community event in Four. Proud parents and jealous second-stringers alike gathered to cheer on our noble representatives and gather their children afterward. We got checked in and I waited in a line with the other children my age. Our ancient escort Gaudius- the oldest escort in all twelve Districts- huffed onstage to pick some names. He alternated years, and this time the boys were first. He fished around in the bowl, his other hand supporting his back.

"Skimmer Jackson!" he called. The second the last letter left his mouth, someone burst out.

"I volunteer as Tribute!" I yelled. Everyone turned to gawk at me. I wasn't the chosen volunteer. I hadn't been at the Academy for years. A burst of profanity came from the eighteen-year-old section, where Thresher Morel had been politely waiting an instant before he would volunteer. One boy tried to calm him, but the rest got out of his way. They didn't want to stop him from what he wanted to do to me.

It was true that I wasn't the chosen volunteer and hadn't trained for years. I'd never wanted to volunteer anyway, and I hadn't made a secret of it. The others were as much confused as they were angry. My motivation was simple, though. Fame and fortune weren't important, but there was a lot of money involved in winning. A lot of money that could buy a lot of musical instruments.


	5. District Five Reaping

**There are two parts to Cain, since the first part is important but the second part shows that's not all there is to him.**

* * *

Cain Pander, 16 (D5M)

 _Ten years ago_

It was really hot. I'd just barely gotten to sleep, since the sheets were so sticky they wound around my legs like spaghetti. When Dad's hot, clammy hands wrapped around my arm, I stirred awake and pushed at him.

"Cain! Get up!" he yelled. He pulled me up and into the air like a hot dog, and I noticed how much hotter it was than when I'd gone to bed. It was brighter, too- so bright I thought it was morning. Then I saw the fire on the windowsill and all across the floor, all the way up to the edge of my bed. It was about to burn Prickly the Dinosaur, so I reached out to grab him. As soon as I touched him, the fire burned my hand and my skin got all pink and slimy. I grabbed my hand with my other hand and cried as Dad ran with me out into the hall.

The hallway was even worse. We lived four apartments away from the stairs, and there was smoke and fire everywhere. Even the air was on fire, since it was all wavy. People were screaming, and Dad had to run around the holes in the floor. When I looked up at him, he was scared too, and that was the scariest thing in the world. A piece of ceiling broke off and landed on me. I thought I was going to die, but Dad brushed it away with his bare hand and then squished my head against his chest so I wouldn't get burned again. Even then, the smoke scorched my lungs, and I had trouble breathing at all.

It was hard to remember what happened after that. It wasn't hot anymore, since I was lying on the concrete sidewalk outside our building. Mom was telling me it was going to be okay. A firefighter put a plastic thing on my mouth and then I could breathe again. Other people were still screaming and running around the building. It _wasn't_ going to be okay, though. Not until all the fire was gone and only if it never came back again.

 _Present_

The fire did go away. And it usually didn't ever come back again. I still had a few little pieces of it on my arms and legs, but they didn't hurt anymore. I didn't do any cooking and I was about the only boy I knew who had never played with matches, but mostly it was okay. Our new apartment had a fire escape. It was old and rickety, but I would have tried it anyway.

It was summertime again, but not as hot as it was that year. My neighbors Lily and Lucas were out of school, and that meant we could play. They were ten and I was sixteen, but they didn't mind. They said I wasn't one of the big kids because I was cool.

Mostly we played racing. Lucas was the fastest, but Lily always got second, since I was really slow. Sometimes I was so slow I had to walk. Sometimes I got mixed up and ran the wrong way. Once in a while we mixed up the rules, like Lucas and I had to hop on one foot but Lily could run normally.

A firetruck wailed as it raced somewhere in the distance. It was weird, but I liked hearing firetrucks. It let me know they were still there keeping us all safe. Lucas and Lily ran to the corner of the road to see if it would go by, but it didn't. The fire was far away, just the way I liked it.

* * *

Samantha "Sammy" Voltage, 14 (D5F)

A lot of people think Panem is this horrible place where nothing good ever happens and you can't control anything in life. I don't think that way and never will. Life's too short to be sad all the time. Maybe they're right about good things being hard to get, but they'll _definitely_ never make a good life for themselves if they give up trying. There might be a way, and if there wasn't, I was no worse off than before.

For me, the way up was sports. It was easy for me to keep trying, since I genuinely loved sports. Or sport, more accurately. I was a dodgeball fiend. It was an ideal sport for Panem, since all you needed for twenty kids was one ball if you shared it, and if you didn't have a ball, like we didn't for the first few months, you could use wadded up socks. All you needed was a good attitude, fast arms, and a bit of a pain tolerance. It seemed to me that was also what you needed to get ahead in Panem, and I had all three of those in spades.

It was super duper hard for normal District people to go to the Capitol... but it wasn't impossible. Legally, any District citizen could move to the Capitol if they got invited. Normally the Capitol didn't give two thoughts to a bunch of poor, smelly District peasants, but sometimes lightning struck. One time a real pretty girl in our District got scouted by a talent agent and went to the Capitol to be a model. Or so I heard- I never actually met her, and we didn't get many Capitol advertisements here. Every year we had national testing in school, and usually one or two seniors got picked to go to college in the Capitol to be doctors or whatever. It was about as likely as getting hit by a meteor, but people _do_ sometimes get hit by meteors.

If I didn't make it big and become a nationally famous dodgeball player, it wouldn't be the end of the world. I'd stay in Five and be a District-famous dodgeball player. I already was the most famous dodgeball player in the District, since I was about the _only_ dodgeball player in the District. There was me, three of my friends who played with me, and about twenty littler kids we grouped into four leagues and coached. The four of us that were my age didn't play in those games, since we were twice as big as all the other players, but we were the coaches. We swapped players every time so no one had an advantage. I called my team the Supernovas. We were blazing fast and all-around unstoppable. Except when we lost. Then we were sort of fast and a little unstoppable.

"Defence! Watch your flanks!" I cheered as my teammates threw around the bright red rubber balls that Lucina, Hunter, Kyle and me spent weeks working to be able to afford. It was a _lot_ harder to be positive about life when you worked in the service industry, and I was glad that was over. A ball came flying out of bounds next to me and I tossed it underhand back into play.

The Supernovas shone brightly that day. After a valiant battle fiercely contested on both sides, we triumphed 6-4. Us four coaches cleared the field as the players compared bruises and trash talk.

"The Dynamos? More like the DUMBnamos!" I teased Hunter.

"Oooooooh," Lucina said.

"At least I didn't name my team after a _dead star,"_ he said.

" _Oooooooh,"_ Lucina said.

"Tomorrow is another day," Kyle said, and he shrugged. We'd all have different teams tomorrow, and maybe I'd lose as hard as I won this time. As long as we were still playing, it didn't matter. I just liked hitting people with balls and getting hit with them. That would go on forever. Someday the field would be bigger, though. Someday Five wouldn't be big enough for me. I'd have to take my team and move on to better things. We wouldn't be the Supernovas anymore then. We'd be the Shooting Stars, flying all across the country.


	6. Six Reaping

**Lancia is the same, but I put her here so Six would be balanced and I could sort the chapters out later.**

* * *

Trent Buchanan, 16 (D6M)

One of the coolest days in my life was when I finally learned to lucid dream. Some people might have used that for prurient ends, but for me, it just meant my nonstop motion carried over even when I was asleep. The only difference was that I could do cooler tricks, like running up walls and across ceilings. Though I had tried a few times in real life, my efforts had never netted anything better than a giant bruise across my head.

Even though I didn't use an alarm clock, I always woke up on time when I had something to do that day. I suspected it was because I was naturally energetic and submitted to sleep only when it became completely necessary. For me, waking up was much more natural than settling down.

It was still early when I got out of bed. It was barely light out, and my parents weren't up yet, or at least they were still in bed pretending to sleep while they really worried. I was a morning person, since getting up earlier meant more time to do things, but I got up extra early on Reaping days. Most kids were too scared to sleep much and spent the whole day in a sort of daze. I took the hours before the ceremony as a chance to do something really cool in case it was one of the last things I ever did. I made myself a bowl of cereal and slurped the milk out of the bowl before running over to Trace's house.

Trace and me had been friends ever since kindergarten, when we discovered we had almost the same name. Since we still had the same names, we were still friends. That, and one other reason: we both loved parkour. Six was the perfect environment for an inner-city sport like parkour. It made us both grateful we lived in a stinky, smoggy, crowded city. In Ten, the only thing to jump over was fences and cows. I waited outside as Trace snuck out. It wasn't that we weren't allowed to go out. Trace's parents were just still in bed too, and they preferred to see him off the night before the Reaping when they could still hold themselves together.

Ostensibly, me and Trace were walking to the Reaping center. We just took a really roundabout and really flashy route. We traveled in a circle around the center, jumping across stairs and flipping over bicycle racks as we converged on the center. I jumped up and grabbed a fire escape, pulling myself up the side like it was a set of monkey bars. When I reached the fifth story of the building, I walked along the railing and looked at the ground far below. Trace was about to follow me up, but he dropped off the bottom bar in surprise when I jumped. I grabbed onto the bars of the fire escape on the neighboring building, across a drop seven feet wide and fifty feet tall. I heard Trace's feet hit the ground as I hauled myself up. I looked down at him to make sure he'd seen it and he looked back up with almost grim acknowledgement.

It had been a terribly stupid thing to do. If I had missed, made a false start, or slipped, I would have hit the ground like a garbage bag filled with eggs. Normally I wouldn't have done something _that_ reckless, and normally Trace would have called me an idiot. But I had nothing to lose today, and Trace felt the same way.

When I jumped, I hadn't been scared at all. All I remembered feeling was the rush of doing something dangerous and exciting. When Otho picked my name out of the bowl, I was only scared for a heartbeat. The shock that should have turned into terror instead became fury, and I barreled to stage like I needed a running start. Without thinking, I called Otho a horrible name that hadn't been relevant in Panem for decades, since no one cared about gender anymore. As soon as I said it, I hoped my mother wouldn't watch the recording, but I still wasn't scared. Even if the Capitol got mad, they couldn't kill me any deader than dead. I had nothing to lose.

* * *

Lancia Audren, 17 (D6)

Structure and discipline are the difference between an efficient or wasted life. It doesn't have to be military school and robotic obedience, but if you know what you can do and constantly put effort toward being your best, procrastination and laziness won't be such a problem. Or at least that was what my parents said, and that was why I was in gymnastics. I wasn't the best in the District- some of the poorer competitors killed themselves trying to get picked for the Capitol athletic teams. It happened about once every two years for one Districter in Panem, but it was the only way out for them. I was just in it for the lessons it taught me.

"Let's take five," Kathari said. I jumped down off the parallel rings and clapped the chalk of my hands, raising a cloud. Jessie and Allegra went ahead of us to the grassy curb outside the gymnasium. Kathari stopped in the doorway and saw I was still behind everyone.

"Coming?" she asked/

"I'm just going to do some cooldown," I said. I knew why they were all going outside, and it wasn't for me. A lot of people in Six felt differently, but I was my parents' child. I didn't quite share their opinion that people like that were _scum,_ since some of those people were my friends, but it was hard for me to accept, and I tried to ignore that part of them.

"There's plenty for everybody," Kathari offered. I didn't know why she still thought I used. I was an athlete, and I wanted to take care of my body. That didn't stop her, though, so maybe that was why. I'd always kept quiet about it in the past. I didn't want to seem like I was judging her.

"I should get ready for the next meet," I said.

"You've been ready for months. Take a break already," Kathari coaxed. We went back and forth a few times until the truth came out.

"I don't do drugs," I said. I thought Kathari might get mad, but instead she laughed.

"What, you're too good for us?" she asked.

"I've seen a lot of messed-up people, you know? I don't want to end up like that," I said.

"You think we're going to turn into morphling bums?" Kathari asked, not laughing anymore.

"No! I just don't want to mess around with that," I said. I would have said something about being afraid I didn't have the willpower, but she'd have seen right through it.

"No wonder you're good at gymnastics. Your back is strong from always looking down your nose at people," Kathari said. "Have fun by yourself." she went out with Jessie and Allegra.

It shouldn't have hurt. I was just being smart and responsible. But when I wiped my hand across my cheek, a tear smeared the chalk.


	7. Seven Reaping

**I was going to wait and do One first, but I got impatient, so here's Seven.**

* * *

Sherman Betula- 17

Being poor in Seven wasn't as bad as being poor in lots of Districts. We had a lot of natural resources in the forests. My family didn't make enough money to live off from our work, but we had ways to supplement that. Since our District was lumber and not agriculture, no one cared if we took plants that weren't made of wood. Almost all our money went to clothes and house maintenance, and we didn't have to spend any on food. It wasn't appetizing to eat acorn flour pancakes and dandelion salad every day, but it kept us from starving and meant we didn't have to split up the family.

We got by, but everyone had to lend a hand. If I wasn't working to bring home funds, I was cleaning around the house or watching my sister Alnus. I kept busy and I kept productive. Other than the threat of death for me and my siblings, perhaps the worst part about Reaping day was the lost productivity. I had to spend nearly all day getting processed or counted or waiting in the crowd. It meant the rest of the family had to work even harder, and it made me feel guilty.

Minerva wasn't as jumpy as she had been when she first started. She'd been so scared of getting fired or Avoxed like the last escort that she barely said anything past announcing the names. She'd gotten more confident in the successive years, and she was starting to show her personality. She was still timid, but she was cautiously eager about the proceedings. It seemed she genuinely liked picking names- not because she liked dooming people, but because she saw each year as the year she might pick a Victor.

"Good morning, everyone! I hope you're having as nice a day as I am!" Minerva called from the stage. She started toward the bowl and was interrupted.

"I'm really not!" someone yelled. Minerva jumped and tried to find the face, but whoever it was was hidden in the crowd.

"Sorry to hear that! Let's have some names!" she said. "I'll pick the boy first, because usually the girls go first." She scrambled around in the bowl and picked a slip from the very bottom. I wasn't sure if I was more worried for me or for Alnus.

"Sherman Betula!" she called. I bent over and threw up, trying to avoid the shoes of the people around me. The Peacekeepers advanced in case I made trouble, but I scuttled to the stage as I wiped at my mouth. I didn't want them getting mad at my family.

I didn't hear anything my family said when they came to see me. I felt sick and terrified and too shocked to think. After they were gone, I thought about what would happen next. I was one of twenty-four children who all wanted the same thing. I had to get back to my family. Things were tight enough even with my income and help. If I wanted to get home to them, I had to be ready to do anything, even if it was doing something to other people. They were more important than that.

* * *

Camellia Spruce- 14

"Whittle while you work..."

"Never heard that one before."

Some people didn't appreciate humor. We could either sit ten hours a day whittling decorative knickknacks for kitschy Capitol gift shops in silence, or we could sit ten hours a day and be goofy. Life was too short not to be goofy.

"Knock, knock," I said.

Leif sighed. "Who's there?" he asked.

"Ash," I said.

"Ash who?" he asked in a monotone.

"Bless you," I said. Leif sighed again as though I'd dishonored his great relatives. Amanita tittered, and Leif gave her the side-eye.

"Sorry, it was just so dumb," Amanita said. For a moment I stopped joking as I worked on a hard cut. One time I told a joke right when I was carving a cat's eye and almost cut my finger off. Had I amputated the digit, the others surely would have thought I was joking and refused to call for a doctor.

"Always bears and cats and birds," I said. "No one ever wants a whittled camel."

"Are those them lumpy horses?" Amanita asked.

"Maybe horses are flat camels," I said.

"Maybe you should know what it is before you try to whittle it," Leif said.

"Maybe you should keep your comments in your pocket," I said. I finished the rough carving and got to work sanding the details into my piece. Some fancy Capitolites preferred the "rustic" look and some preferred the "refined" look, so we made a mixture of both at our homey sweatshop. I generally made a piece every two days, which gave me roughly enough money to not starve to death. It was better than working in the lumberyards, since I had biceps of butter.

The doorbell tinkled and a very strange-looking man walked into the store. He was probably a Capitolite, judging from the purple hair and rainbow eyes. We didn't see them very often, but around Reaping time they sometimes came to take a gander at the cute little District people and their cute little deathmatches. When they came, they wanted souvenirs, and that was where I came in.

"Hello, sir! Are you looking for some wood? If so, you're in the right place," I said with a winning smile. The man came over to watch us work.

"Oh, you must be the workers! How quaint," he said, with that goofy accent they had. "Can I watch?"

"Oh, we _love_ being watched!" I said. "I'm almost done. Just a little more sanding to take the rough edges off." I put flourishes in my strokes as I rubbed sandpaper on my carved cat, acting like it was much harder than it was.

"Voila!" I said when I was done. I set the cat upright on a wooden table and admired it. "One of my better works."

"Is it for sale?" the man asked.

"Everything's for sale," I said, sweeping my arms around at the shop. "Except me. That's illegal."

"How precious! It's darling," the man said. I picked the cat up and held it upside down.

"For you, something extra," I said. I took out my smallest carving knife and carved my name on the bottom. "A signed original."

I'd never heard a grown man squeal before. After he was gone, it was my turn to squeal. I got a bonus every time I helped make a sale. With that kind of money, I could _really_ barely not starve.


	8. Eight Reaping

**Cross is the same. I just added him to make things even.**

* * *

Angora Chenille, 14 (D8F)

It seemed fitting to visit Dash's grave on Reaping Day, even though he didn't die in the Games. He was a sickly child, and when he was eight years old, he just slipped away. We never knew what it was that took him. The doctors in the Capitol probably could have told us, but that was never an option for people like us. It was fitting to go on Reaping Day just because the Games were about death. It was helpful to do our mourning on the day we were already sad and get it all out of the way at once. I always liked to think that Reaping Day was happy for Dash, since he never had to see it. He would have been twelve this year, but he was safe forever. It was convenient for our parents, too, since they could pretend they were crying only because of him and not because they were scared for me. This was the first year my sister Camara was safe, so they only had to be afraid for me now.

"You don't have to be scared," I said to them with Camara split off with me to go to the Reaping center. "There are so many kids. It won't be me. I don't even take tesserae." My family's tailoring shop got enough business from rich people and visiting Capitolites that we were a lot better off than some of the people in our District. Camara and I didn't have to work in a factory all day, so we weren't so pale and our bones weren't weak.

I waved to our parents as we left and put a spring in my step. I always acted like Reaping Day was no big deal, and that I really believed what I said about the chances. I wanted to make sure I was the kid they didn't have to worry about and fuss over. It was hard enough to be scared your kid would die without having to comfort a scared kid. Really, of course, the chances didn't matter. If there was any chance at all, we were all afraid. I had a bigger chance of getting hit by a car or choking on some bread, but that never seemed as scary. Sometimes people aren't very logical. It was the same reason I never looked up exactly how many kids were eligible each year. Whatever number I got would be scarier than the vague idea I had in my head.

Every year, Camara and I walked around a bit together before we went to the Reaping center. I first went when I was eleven, when she was eligible but I was too young. Now she was going with me when she was too old. The first time, she told me all sorts of things to remember in case she died, from what dress to bury her in to what to tell the boy she had a crush on. I started adding my requests the next year, and we'd been updating them ever since.

"Make sure Mom and Dad don't spend a lot of money on my gravestone," I said. "Tell them I just want some flowers planted over me. And don't let them throw away my drawings, even if they make them sad at first. Put them away so they can have them later," I said.

"Okay. But what if you win?" she asked.

"What?" I said. We'd never talked about that before, not since we were too young to get Reaped. It wasn't something people like us even dreamed about. The Games were only games to the Careers. They were an execution to us.

"It could happen. Sometimes it happens," Camara said.

"I'll take you all to live in my new house," I said. It was the first thing that came to mind, and other things started to flow after that. I'd already gotten out my last requests in case the worst happened. But what if the _best_ happened? It was a lot more fun than talking about death.

"My talent will be designing dresses. I'll draw all the other Tributes, because they didn't deserve to die. I'll eat ice cream ever day and sleep on silk sheets. I'll give my dresses away to poor girls, like the girls from Twelve. And boys too. And I'll get a kitten," I said. I'd been worried about keeping Mom and Dad happy, but Camara had other ideas. She set out to make _me_ happy. I had the best family in the world, even if we were missing one piece.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, 18 (D8)

 _I once was lost and now am found..._

Every time I saw the Lost and Found sign hanging above my workstation, that was what came into my head. You had to latch on to the little things in Panem. We only got away with as much as we did because we didn't make waves. Surely the Peacekeepers knew what the "sewing room" in my uncle's basement actually held. It just wasn't really worth going after as long as we didn't proselytize in the streets or lobby at the Games Center. We spread the word through quieter tactics, like get-togethers over tea or book discussions that didn't actually discuss the latest best-seller.

"Excuse me." The man in front of me didn't actually think he'd done anything that needed to be excused. He said it in that way that made it clear _I_ was the one who should ask to be excused for wasting his time, having not produced his lost object before he had to come all the way down here and retrieve it.

"Can I help you?" I asked. The Justice Hall was about the only place a Lost and Found could be. Anywhere else, if you lost something, you weren't getting it back. Here the people were rich enough to be feared.

"I _hope_ you have my watch," the man said, leaning over my desk on both arms. "It's very valuable. I suppose even you could tell _that._ If it's been stolen, I'll need to speak to your superior."

"I'll take a look," I said. I bent under my desk and retrieved a box of assorted riffraff. Underneath an umbrella, I dug out a leather watch with some sort of precious metal lining the face.

"Gently! That's very fragile!" the man said as I lifted it out. _Yeah, so fragile it didn't break when you dropped it,_ I thought, but I handed it back to him with a smile.

"Is this it?" I asked. I was supposed to confirm he was really its owner, but he swiped it from my hand and slapped it on his wrist. Someone that rich didn't have to steal a watch, so I wasn't worried.

"Have a nice day," I said as he grumbled. "I'm glad I could help."

"Oh... you have a nice day too," he said, and he stopped grumbling as he walked off. Sometimes you just have to outlast grumpy people and they run out of grump.

A few minutes later, Claira came to get me. I had one of the nicer jobs in Eight in that I was allowed a lunch break, and we scheduled our activities accordingly. We held hands as we walked back to my uncle's house. We were long past the shy stage of being sweethearts. Once I was able to provide for her, we'd be married.

Our tiny church room was an exercise in subterfuge. Everything had to be ready to be taken down at a moment's notice. There was a pile of fabric in one corner ready to be thrown over the three benches that served as pews so they'd look like normal sewing benches. Our cross was two knitting needles stuck together with putty loose enough to yank apart and nonchalantly knit with in seconds. We always had a half-finished quilt on the floor in case we had to pretend we'd met up for a very non-religious and non-suspicious quilting bee. It looked nothing like the towering cathedrals that sometimes still popped up in art class, but it was the holiest place I could imagine.

* * *

 **Make sure to message me if you reserved the TWO FEMALE! I think I actually didn't reserve it, so I'll be opening it back up soon.**

 **WIKI UPDATE: I made it to Hailey.**


	9. Nine Reaping

**Here's the Nine girl and I added Demetrius so I can delete the earlier chapter once I get the other full District from Demetrius' chapter.**

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, 15 (D9F)

Mrs. Twill's garden had tomato worms. I couldn't stop the Reaping, but I could keep my mind off it for fifteen minutes while I helped her pick them off. Goodness knew I wasn't going to get any sleep. I didn't even wake up early, since waking up early required someone to fall asleep in the first place. I could keep my mind off the Games and off... some other things.

I knew I was in the doghouse as soon as I walked in the door. Mom was breathing heavy, and she had that tight look around her eyes that meant whatever she next said was going to be a little louder than usual and a little sterner than usual. I wasn't wrong.

"What were you thinking?" she asked, setting down the spoon she'd been using to stir some baking and walking toward me with the heavy footsteps that meant she was _really mad._

"I was just helping Mrs. Twill with her garden," I said.

"Today? Why would you do that?" she asked. I knew exactly what she was talking about.

"There's time left. I came back early," I said. I didn't know why they made us do this every year. Sara was dead every day. She wasn't extra dead on Reaping day. I already missed her. Remembering her on the most stressful day of the year just made me feel like I was going to die of sorrow and worry before I even heard the name on the slip. Mom saw I was about to cry and softened up.

"Let's get started so you're not rushed," she said softly. We moved into the tiny living room and joined Dad, who was setting up the little shrine we kept on a shelf over the stove. There was a Sara's preschool registration picture, which was the most recent one we had, even though she was fifteen when she died. We saved up a month to buy the frame. For Reaping day, we added tokens from throughout her life. Everyone added something they remembered her by- some special moment we never wanted to forget. Dad was laying out a blanket underneath the photo as we came in. He always took it the hardest of us all. He was fiercely protective and more passionate than anyone else I knew. One time, after they thought I was asleep, I heard him tell my mother he wished he could put his name in the bowl a million times so no one else ever had to go to the Games.

I'd already planned what I was going to add, so it didn't really matter that I was late. I went to my room and pulled a single metal jack from a worn-out box I kept under my bed. Sara found it once while we were out playing. We used to pretend we were playing jacks, even though we only had one and didn't have a ball. We would just spin it on the floor and see who could make it spin the longest. Mom put in one of Sara's baby socks, the one with rainbow beads on the top, and Dad added a picture she drew him when she was ten. He always pretended he was just coughing when he cried, but this time he didn't pretend he was fooling anyone.

"Are you going?" Mom asked. We were sitting together on the floor remembering and thinking, and I was squished between them. Mom hated to be late, but she didn't rush me now.

"It's okay. I'll be fine," I said. "I just hope Olivia doesn't get Reaped. Maybe if she does someone will volunteer for her."

" _Mind your own business!"_ Mom almost shouted, and she jumped up. She grabbed me suddenly in a hug as her face crumpled.

"It's okay, I didn't mean me!" I said. Dad took Mom in his arms as she shook. I ran out while they were still holding each other. I really hadn't meant me. I wouldn't be brave enough for that. But I hadn't thought about the effect my words might have on Mom, or the effect of my trip to Mrs. Twill's garden on the most important day of the year. I was already scared, and seeing my parents like that made me even more unsure.

* * *

Demetrius "Dem" Fields, 17 (9)

I was walking home from a long day in the fields when I saw a little kid tugging a wagon. It was getting late, and bad things could happen to kids out alone at night. Most of the people in Nine were good, but it only took one. I broke into a jog and caught up with the little boy. He jumped when he heard me coming, but relaxed when he saw who it was. We didn't know each other personally, but he'd likely seen me at work. I worked as a thresher, cutting down the grain with a curved hook, and little kids like him usually gathered up the fallen grain to tie into sheaves.

"What's up, squirt?" I asked. "You better get home or your mom will worry."

"Yeah, she's probably already mad. I just have to drag all this along, and one of the wheels is wiggly," the boy said. He pointed at the left front wheel, but I didn't make it all the way there. My eye caught what the wagon was holding and my heart sank.

"It's all right," the boy said when he noticed my expression. "The older boys still have lots more slips. No one my age ever gets picked."

No one should have to bargain his life away for a sack of grain. A little boy like him should be able to eat candy and never, ever worry about having enough food, much less lie awake at night wondering if the slip with his name on it wouldn't have been in there if he hadn't signed up for one more portion of tesserae.

"You going that way?" I asked, pointing ahead. The boy nodded.

"Me too. How about you let me take that off your hands for a minute? I feel guilty being so much bigger and not helping," I said. The boy let me take over and I pulled the wagon as we walked along.

We hadn't gone far when a few more boys joined us. They were exactly what I'd been afraid of when I saw the boy walking alone. They weren't the worst thing that could happen to a child at night, but they were trouble. I didn't know any of their names, but I knew there were no extra slips in the bowl for them. They got their food by other means.

"What you got there?" one of the three boys asked. None of them were holding anything, but I could tell from their rounded pockets that that could change at any time.

"Tesserae. Nothing you'd want," I said. The little boy slowed down and walked behind the wagon, farther away from the boys.

"I don't know, looks pretty tasty to me," the lead boy said.

"Go sign up for some then. There's plenty," I said.

"It's a long way away. Maybe we're lazy," the boy said. Something blurred in the air, and the little boy yelped. I ran to his side and checked him over. There was a tiny smear of blood where the rock had hit the side of his head. I'd been trying to keep it together, but that was it. In a flash, I lost it.

The rock was like a baseball in my hand. I whirled around and let it fly with all my strenght. It hit the lead boy in the eye and he shrieked. His hands flew to his face, but not fast enough to hide the red and clear fluid that ran down his cheek. The other boys started forward, but I stood and they ran. The lead boy followed, still wailing.

As soon as it was done, I felt terrible. I could have gotten them away without doing that. Maybe they hit first, but that didn't mean I had to hit back. Regret was the worst thing of all. It meant you knew you messed up, but you could never make it better. "Sorry" could fix a damaged relationship, but it couldn't put back a ruined eye.

* * *

 **I added some more information about voting in the list chapter.**


	10. Ten Reaping

**Hey hey hey, it's another District pair!**

* * *

Gael Orford, 16 (D10M)

History class was my favorite. I wasn't the best at math, and the other classes were mostly a waste of time. We all knew it didn't matter whether we could do square roots or diagram a sentence. We lived in Ten. Nine-tenths of every class became farm workers. The two smartest students might have a chance to become accountants or actuaries, but the rest of us would spend the rest of our lives shooing cows and cutting up meat.

That was why I liked history class. We didn't have many books, but the others were glad to leave them behind the second the bell rang. Ms. Finke was overjoyed when I asked to borrow one. She must have thought I wanted to "study hard and improve my lot" like she was always talking about. I didn't have the heart to tell her I just liked history books. I read them for fun, not for a nonexistent chance at a better life.

A lot of the books had pages missing, since they were really old and beat-up. I suspected some of the missing pages had been about things that were missing entirely from newer editions. I wondered about what was so dangerous, but I enjoyed reading what was left. The book I brought home was a history of agriculture, since the Capitol didn't waste much money giving us books that weren't relevant to the District. Almost all of the pre-Dark Days pages were intact, since they wanted us to see how great it had been before we went and screwed it up. It was a good idea- there was really great stuff there.

One of the pictures in the book was of a farmhouse. That was what it said, anyway, but it wasn't like any farmhouse I'd ever seen. Most of us farmers lived either in shacks or in company housing for one of the giant Capitol-owned cattle ranches. Only the overseer would have a house like the one in the picture, and he'd have been pretty lucky. It was two stories, with white paint and a porch that went all around. There was a giant red barn behind it and cows milled around in a field. It was like what the rest of Panem must have imagined we lived like. The house had one wall removed to show what was inside. There was all sorts of furniture and even a refrigerator. My family just put things in the cellar if they needed to stay cool, and we had to dig that out ourselves.

It was almost as infuriating as amusing to read the books. I liked to daydream about all the nice things there used to be, but that was all they ever were. Daydreams weren't reality, and that wasn't fair. The things in the book weren't as nice as the things in the Capitol, and people had those- just not _us._ It was hard to be happy in such a bare-bones life when I knew there was a lot more out there. I wanted to live like that, and if I ever figured out a way how, I'd be on my way.

* * *

Bailey Arroyo, 16 (D10F)

People from Ten did _not_ all wear cowboy hats. We did _not_ spit tobacco- we couldn't _afford_ tobacco. We did _not_ run around barefoot everywhere unless we couldn't afford shoes. And I had never once in my life said "yee-haw". Which made my livelihood all the funnier.

People had this idea that Ten was a farm paradise where people ate eggs and chicken and garden plants and rode bulls and horses for fun. I did have a horse, but that was by subverting stereotypes, not following them. Since the people in the Capitol thought we all raced horses, rich vacationers came by every now and then to see the quaint little races. We hadn't _had_ any quaint little races, but when we saw how much they wanted them and how much money there was to be made, we started some up. The people from the Capitol didn't know that our "adorable tradition" didn't start until they came.

There were no races on Reaping Day. Most of the jockeys were young, like me, and none of us would be on our proper forms. The Capitol people were all busy watching who got Reaped anyway. That left me and Quicksilver some time in the morning when I would usually be doing chores or preparing for a race. I jumped on her back without even putting on her saddle. On fun runs, I liked feeling her fur and her soft back under my rump. We trotted out into the cow field. It was either that or the bull field, but that was generally not a good idea.

You never knew what you would find in the field. Usually it was just grass and fairy rings that were really just cow wallows, but sometimes there were cool things. One time I found a garter snake, which I brought home and showed to my mom, who shrieked and whacked at the "rattlesnake" with a hoe until I convinced her it was a garter snake. Sometimes if we didn't get home early enough I would hear coyotes howling, and I pretended they chased us home, nipping ravenously at Quicksilver's heels.

Mom (I refused to call her Ma, even though that was something most kids from Ten _did_ say) had a very singular way of calling me in when I was out of sight. I was usually halfway across the District, so she had to get loud. Instead of shouting until she got hoarse, she modified something she learned from a sheep farmer who used a dog in the fields. I'd never heard such a unique whistle. It sort of went "FWEEEEEEEooooWEEEP!" As soon as I heard the noise, I turned around and booked it. Mom did not like to be kept waiting. She was waiting for me in the doorway, hands on her hips.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked.

"Just riding Quicksilver," I said innocently.

"You're going to be late for Reaping Day!" she said. Usually she got all weepy on Reaping Day, but she seemed to have seized the opportunity to be mad at me instead.

"Shoot, I'd be in trouble then," I said. "They might even kill me."

* * *

 **I need YOU! I'm working on a side project, and I need input. I am currently seeking suggestions on which Tribute you think most deserves to win an All-Stars. This isn't for an All-Stars story- I have one in progress, this is just a separate question. Go ahead and PM whoever you think would make for a cool and interesting Victor. It can totally be your Tribute, or maybe you have someone else you'd like. You can add reasons or whatever if you like.**


	11. Eleven and Twelve Girls

**Turns out I had more forms than I thought! I'm only missing a few.**

* * *

Rahina Herrington, 15 (D11F)

Life's hard when you're the Devil's child. That never seemed to me to be a fair thing to condemn someone for, since I didn't ask the Devil to be my father. I would think my mother should be the one to blame for having a child with the Devil. I was starting to think that maybe the whole thing was made up, since the only sign of my infernal parentage was being a few shades lighter than the rest of my family. Perhaps the Devil was being wrongfully accused so my mother didn't have to own up to some unsavory activities.

That hardly mattered anymore, since I didn't live with my family. Whatever weird amalgamation of cults they followed decreed that children had to be cared for, even if they were the Devil's, until ten years of age. Then they threw me out to the streets, which seemed a much warmer and more hospitable home. Brock and his wife Mariah were exactly the kind of angels my family talked about but never saw, even if our first meeting was something out of a PSA. Usually if some weird grungy guy stops to talk to a homeless girl, it doesn't end with him giving her a place to stay.

There might have been _something_ to the cursed child thing, since I wasn't a very grateful houseguest. Maybe I thought it was too good to be true and was trying to push until I proved Brock wasn't as patient as he seemed. He'd put up with a lot since I came to stay with him, and he probably knew how much I cared for him, even though I said it wasn't anything. But then, even the nicest, politest kids were surly on Reaping Day. As soon as I got out of bed, everyone started to clear out of my way.

"What are you looking at?" I snapped as some poor sap who happened to pass nearby. I kicked a stone into a gutter as I walked to the Reaping Center. I peevishly resented all the children who were already there. _Why are they in my way?_ I raged to myself, ignoring the fact that they didn't want it any more than I did.

Snapdragon provided a target for all my crabbiness. She represented many things I hated: pretension, the Capitol, rich people, happy people, and frilly dresses. I stewed in the crowd as I waited for her to pick a name.

"Rahina Herrington!" she said, her voice as light and airy as the words were not.

"Yeah?!" I yelled. She jumped and dropped the paper in surprise.

"Ah... yeah," she said. I sucked my teeth in contempt and started stomping my way to the stage. An unfortunate girl who didn't get out of the way in time got jostled aside as I bulled past.

"This must be your first time on television. Is there anything you'd like to say?" she asked after she called the boy to join me. I took the microphone and shouted for all I was worth.

"*!^#(^ # &* %$!"

* * *

Aliara Bavier, 18 (D12F)

On Reaping Day, my life was even weirder than normal. It was already weird for a Twelve girl to wake up in the squalid apartment she shared with her girlfriend. It was even weirder when the girlfriend used to be her maid. I didn't think of Zelena that way anymore, of course, but she still ended up doing more housework than me. She said I did it all wrong and I was spoiled. Who does she think she is, calling a girl with a maid spoiled?

"We should get up," I said to Zelena, who was pretending to still be asleep.

"Do we really have to go?" she asked.

"It's gone fine so far," I said. "Just one more year. And what are you worried about? You're old. You're an old maid," I said. Zelena was twenty. Halfway to the grave. But maybe not as close as I was.

"What do you think?" I asked, holding two dresses I'd grabbed before we snuck away to start a romantic new life away from our families. "Romantic" looked a lot like cockroaches in the walls and mold on the ceiling.

"You look sexy in that one. In the other one... you look sexy," Zelena said. Then her face fell, and I jumped in to cheer her up.

"Don't worry. Nothing can happen to me. They only kill one girl a year, right?" I asked.

"Yeah?" Zelena asked, needing clarification.

"If they pick me, that would be two people, since you'd die without me," I said. Jokes aside, I knew for sure I would die if they picked her.

"Besides, if I die, there will be no one here to make messes. What would you do all day?"

"Eat bonbons and watch soap operas," she said, even though we only got one channel on our tiny television: the Games channel. And it only worked about three weeks a year.

"Look at all these people," I said when we got outside. "That's more than I could count even if I _was_ smart. People, people, people. They'd never pick me."

It was easier to pretend I wasn't scared if I pretended Zelena was super scared. I wasn't sure how scared she really was, but she probably wasn't as scared as I was. Maybe two years ago, when her name was in the bowl, but not now. Most people, no matter how much they said they cared about someone else, cared about their own lives most of all. Most people weren't like me.

I was shaking when we got to the processing line, but I played it off like I was just fidgety. Once I got in line, Zelena wouldn't be allowed to go with me any farther. Before I got in, we shared one last kiss. I grabbed her hand and didn't let go until the line swept me forward so far my outstretched arm couldn't hold on any longer. That had been the worst part of the Reaping since Zelena aged out. We could get through anything together, but being alone was my worst nightmare.


	12. Full Eleven Reaping

**Potato's one of the weird ones. They always spice things up.**

* * *

Parker "Potato" Springfield, 15

I was minding my own business eating leftover potatoes when someone up and jumped on me. Sometimes I liked to sneak up on people and spook them, but I never grabbed them in a net and started dragging them across the ground like a wild dog. A whole bunch more people gathered around while I tore at the net and growled. I'd never seen so many people so close to me. Most people were afraid of me. I wasn't sure why. I never bothered anyone unless they got too close while I was eating. Except the spooking people thing, I suppose, but I wasn't _that_ scary.

"Reaping," someone said. _Oh, it's_ that _again._ A long time ago, back before it got cold and then warm again, I got sick off eating a bad potato and someone carried me to a big stage while I was all tired. I didn't remember much of it. I'd thought it was a dream until now, but I vaguely remembered someone saying "Reaping" back then, too.

There were a lot of things about the world I didn't understand. There were other people like me, but they were also different. They talked a lot, and I didn't understand a lot of what they said. Sometimes they chased me away when I tried to dig up potatoes to eat, and one time a man hit me with a rope. I started coming in the night after that. Sometimes they shined lights at me, but I ran away like the raccoons and they left me alone. I didn't take many potatoes anyway. The other people never ate the potatoes. They dug them up and piled them into huge heaps and then just took them away. I never understood why they wasted all that food.

Sometimes the others hung around in groups. Nobody ever hung around with me. The others would come separately but then stand together, but I was all alone. Sometimes I followed them at night and they went into big buildings and stayed there all night. I slept under logs or anywhere else that was comfortable. That was the way it had always been.

Maybe it hadn't been, though. I was never sure if it was a dream or not, but I remembered living in one of those buildings with other kids like me. That was a long time ago, though, and I never saw any of those kids. I wasn't a kid anymore, though, so they probably changed just like me. It wasn't important, since I could take care of myself. I didn't need anyone else.

The people picked the net up so I was off the ground. They carried it between themselves and dragged it all the way into town. It was too loud and bright in town, so I never went there. It was even louder when they took me. Besides the people carrying me, there were screaming kids and crying ladies and all sorts of noise. The people dropped me outside a big wooden structure and left me alone. A few minutes later, I heard someone call my name.

"Parker Herrington!" Really, my name was Potato. No one had called me Parker since those dreams. Sometimes people called me "the creep in the fields", but that wasn't my name either.

The people came back and picked my net back up. They carried me past a bunch of people and dropped me on a stage. Some weird lady in a crazy outfit looked at me like _I_ was the strange one. Then more people in weird silver clothes picked me back up and threw me in some shiny metal vehicle. This day just got weirder and weirder.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, 15 (D11F)

Life's hard when you're the Devil's child. That never seemed to me to be a fair thing to condemn someone for, since I didn't ask the Devil to be my father. I would think my mother should be the one to blame for having a child with the Devil. I was starting to think that maybe the whole thing was made up, since the only sign of my infernal parentage was being a few shades lighter than the rest of my family. Perhaps the Devil was being wrongfully accused so my mother didn't have to own up to some unsavory activities.

That hardly mattered anymore, since I didn't live with my family. Whatever weird amalgamation of cults they followed decreed that children had to be cared for, even if they were the Devil's, until ten years of age. Then they threw me out to the streets, which seemed a much warmer and more hospitable home. Brock and his wife Mariah were exactly the kind of angels my family talked about but never saw, even if our first meeting was something out of a PSA. Usually if some weird grungy guy stops to talk to a homeless girl, it doesn't end with him giving her a place to stay.

There might have been _something_ to the cursed child thing, since I wasn't a very grateful houseguest. Maybe I thought it was too good to be true and was trying to push until I proved Brock wasn't as patient as he seemed. He'd put up with a lot since I came to stay with him, and he probably knew how much I cared for him, even though I said it wasn't anything. But then, even the nicest, politest kids were surly on Reaping Day. As soon as I got out of bed, everyone started to clear out of my way.

"What are you looking at?" I snapped as some poor sap who happened to pass nearby. I kicked a stone into a gutter as I walked to the Reaping Center. I peevishly resented all the children who were already there. _Why are they in my way?_ I raged to myself, ignoring the fact that they didn't want it any more than I did.

Snapdragon provided a target for all my crabbiness. She represented many things I hated: pretension, the Capitol, rich people, happy people, and frilly dresses. I stewed in the crowd as I waited for her to pick a name.

"Rahina Herrington!" she said, her voice as light and airy as the words were not.

"Yeah?!" I yelled. She jumped and dropped the paper in surprise.

"Ah... yeah," she said. I sucked my teeth in contempt and started stomping my way to the stage. An unfortunate girl who didn't get out of the way in time got jostled aside as I bulled past.

"This must be your first time on television. Is there anything you'd like to say?" she asked after she called the boy to join me. I took the microphone and shouted for all I was worth.

"*!^#(^ # &* %$!"


	13. Twelve Reaping

**Here's Twelve! Aliara is still the same.**

* * *

Nash Forger, 12 (D12M)

I'd never been outside Twelve in my life, but I loved to imagine what the other Districts must be like. I had detailed maps in my room that I drew between classes (or sometimes during, if it was language arts). The only good part about the Games was being able to see people from all over the country. Usually they looked pretty much like me, but the two from Eleven were almost always dark, which looked very cool and different.

In District One, I imagined, everyone was rich. They ate nothing but fruit and drank nothing but fizzy soda. They all wore jewelry every day and most of them had a ton of piercings, even in their eyes. They had pink and blue hair and they were all super happy since no one ever had to go to the Games if they didn't want to. Someday I was going to visit every District, and I was definitely looking forward to One.

District Two was a lot scarier. The people there wore dark clothing and instead of math tests every year, they had fistfights in order to graduate. They were all either Peacekeepers or volunteers, so it was hard to commit a crime there. I didn't plan to spend much time there.

Three was like science fiction. The people had robots to do all the hard work, so they had time to invent crazy things. They had bionic eyes and self-washing clothes and cool neon lights everywhere. I was going to look like a caveman there, but they would be super cool.

Four had the ocean, so that was super neat. When I went out there, I'd go fishing in one of their big boats. The fish here didn't get much longer than my arm, but in Four, I might catch something as long as _me._

Five was probably very bright and they had a lot of giant buildings. The people there wouldn't even know what wide open spaces and lots of trees were like. Everything would be very close together, and they would have those cool underground roads.

Six didn't sound very exciting. I imagined it like a big city with lots of roads. I'd go anyway though.

We had forests in Twelve, but I imagined the forests in Seven were much more foresty. It would be cool to watch people cut down the giant trees and turn them into normal wood. They must have nice, clean air, too, since they didn't have coal mines.

The people in Eight would wear lots of bright clothes made of weird material I'd never seen. They were probably super friendly, since they had to work together all day. I imagined them like a lot of grandmothers, since my grandmother was the only person I knew who sewed every day.

I'd never seen a grain field before. I always wondered if they grew all the grain together or separated it. It would be more convenient to grow it together if they wanted to grow mixed grain. The only thing I was worried about was ticks. I'd gotten a lot of ticks in tall grass.

Ten was one of the most exciting Districts to me. I wanted to see cows and horses and sheep. We had a few goats here, but no one had a cow. They looked very big and scary in the pictures, but the people in Ten _rode_ on them. They were super brave.

Eleven was our sister District, but I knew almost nothing about it. It must have been nice to have all that fruit to eat. They must have been very happy people. When I went there, I wanted to try weird new plants I'd never eaten before.

There was a lot of Panem out there for me to see. I knew I'd get there somehow. I hatched a new plan almost every day. One of them was going to work.

* * *

Aliara Bavier, 18 (D12F)

On Reaping Day, my life was even weirder than normal. It was already weird for a Twelve girl to wake up in the squalid apartment she shared with her girlfriend. It was even weirder when the girlfriend used to be her maid. I didn't think of Zelena that way anymore, of course, but she still ended up doing more housework than me. She said I did it all wrong and I was spoiled. Who does she think she is, calling a girl with a maid spoiled?

"We should get up," I said to Zelena, who was pretending to still be asleep.

"Do we really have to go?" she asked.

"It's gone fine so far," I said. "Just one more year. And what are you worried about? You're old. You're an old maid," I said. Zelena was twenty. Halfway to the grave. But maybe not as close as I was.

"What do you think?" I asked, holding two dresses I'd grabbed before we snuck away to start a romantic new life away from our families. "Romantic" looked a lot like cockroaches in the walls and mold on the ceiling.

"You look sexy in that one. In the other one... you look sexy," Zelena said. Then her face fell, and I jumped in to cheer her up.

"Don't worry. Nothing can happen to me. They only kill one girl a year, right?" I asked.

"Yeah?" Zelena asked, needing clarification.

"If they pick me, that would be two people, since you'd die without me," I said. Jokes aside, I knew for sure I would die if they picked her.

"Besides, if I die, there will be no one here to make messes. What would you do all day?"

"Eat bonbons and watch soap operas," she said, even though we only got one channel on our tiny television: the Games channel. And it only worked about three weeks a year.

"Look at all these people," I said when we got outside. "That's more than I could count even if I _was_ smart. People, people, people. They'd never pick me."

It was easier to pretend I wasn't scared if I pretended Zelena was super scared. I wasn't sure how scared she really was, but she probably wasn't as scared as I was. Maybe two years ago, when her name was in the bowl, but not now. Most people, no matter how much they said they cared about someone else, cared about their own lives most of all. Most people weren't like me.

I was shaking when we got to the processing line, but I played it off like I was just fidgety. Once I got in line, Zelena wouldn't be allowed to go with me any farther. Before I got in, we shared one last kiss. I grabbed her hand and didn't let go until the line swept me forward so far my outstretched arm couldn't hold on any longer. That had been the worst part of the Reaping since Zelena aged out. We could get through anything together, but being alone was my worst nightmare.

* * *

 **Nash dreams of seeing the nation, but he didn't volunteer. He was Reaped.**


	14. One More Time

**Okay really the last one this time. I overlooked that I don't have a THREE MALE. If someone could send me one today, that would be great. I know that's short notice, I just can't take it any longer and really want to start! It's been a MONTH since I started this story! If I don't get one really soon, I'll fill in a Bloodbath (basically I'll make a really annoying Tribute and everyone will know it's mine anyway so he'll get all the votes). I don't want to take a slot from someone who wants one, but I'll fill it if there are no takers.**


	15. Take It From The Experts

**PLEASE HELP I need a Three boy. I'll make a Bloodbath if I don't get one soon since I really want to get started, but I don't want to take a spot someone wants.**

* * *

Blake Armani, D1 Mentor

Unlike the outliers, the Career mentors already knew their Tributes before they went to the Capitol. I'd observed Ruby in her training and was consulted when it looked like they might be selected. These days, most chosen volunteers had recommendations from a Victor. For Ruby it was Peridot and for Charming it was Hyden. We also had the easiest jobs, since our Tributes already knew what to do. The only things I could add were, unfortunately, things that had to be lived.

* * *

Ava Hanson, D2 Mentor

 _From killer to babysitter._ Pray hadn't stopped swearing and kicking things since Manny broke in and took out a volunteer she'd had high hopes for. She refused to be in the same room with him, leaving me to tend to our Tributes until they were separated. Enobaria insisted on being able to see the "big volunteers" and kept me posted, as she held my hand, on all the tips she was going to give them.

"I don't like Careers," Manny informed me when I sat down. Enobaria furrowed her brow at him.

"It wasn't my first choice either," Abrexa said. She avoided my gaze as Manny looked at her incredulously.

 _Lucky me._

* * *

Acee Hal, D3 Mentor

"Sweet appendage, cyborg," I said when I saw Sparkil's arm. To anyone but a Three, it would have sounded sarcastic, but she took it as I meant it.

"I got it after a car squashed me," she said.

"You opted for the normal settings?" I asked as I poked at the articulations.

"Capitol wouldn't let us upgrade. Guess they didn't want me throwing trucks around," she said.

"I was kind of hoping I'd get one of these after my Games. Unfortunately I didn't get mutilated," I said. "I thought about doing it cosmetically, but got this weird feeling I'd feel guilty about the part I cut off."

"Sometimes it still aches," she said, which did nothing to quiet my buried fears about getting haunted by my own body.

* * *

Shane Donegal, D4 Mentor

"Why so eager? You couldn't wait a few years to die?" I asked.

"I'm kind of poor. I was hoping to get rich so I could buy stuff," Reefe said.

"It must be something pretty important to risk death over," I said. Reefe smiled sheepishly.

"Tell the truth, I'm not really a fighter. I'm kind of... a musician," he said.

"You risked your life to buy a _guitar?"_ I asked. "Why didn't you ask me? I would have bought you a dozen guitars! I would have bought you an _orchestra_ if it meant you wouldn't _die!"_

* * *

Careen Ellis, D4 Mentor

I had to pick my words carefully. If the Capitol thought I had insider information, I'd be in big trouble. I especially didn't want them to think I had more than I did, since we only had the vaguest rumors.

"I suppose you know things might be different this year," I said.

"Yeah, what's with that?" she asked.

"We don't know, really. It's all conjecture. We think there might be some sort of teamwork element- maybe sister Districts or something. All I can suggest now is that you be open to allies outside the Careers. It can't hurt to be careful," I said.

* * *

Erwin Jackson, D5 Mentor

Cain wasn't going to win. His token was a drawing from a little kid. That meant he had a good heart. That meant he wouldn't win. It was another year when I was better off not getting attached. By now, I knew exactly which years my Tributes were lost causes. Even when they weren't, they never won. I wasn't getting invested in another child when I knew what the end would be.

* * *

Sky Levings, D5 Mentor

I wished I was more like Sammy. She was a live wire. Even though she'd been Reaped, she wasn't letting it get her down. She ran all around the train car, looking out the windows and poking at everything that wasn't nailed down. It wasn't like she was too young or dumb to understand, either. She was just so enthusiastic about what was in front of her that the future wasn't important yet. They always say to live every day like it's your last, and Sammy was way ahead of them.

* * *

Toby Cash, D6 Mentor

The girl didn't seem to like me very much. She looked at me, asked me something, asked again, then squinted and got up from the table. The boy, on the other hand, was having a great time. He was bouncing all over the car like a wrecking ball. It was good most things were nailed down.

* * *

Paul Olson, D7 Mentor

I'd gotten a few jokesters over the years. Oakley came to mind immediately, as well as some Tributes my fellow Victors had told me about. Soleil said Careen told her there might be some sort of social aspect this time around, so Camellia might have a better chance. Sherman seemed... nice. Not particularly strong, not really weak, just in the middle. Almost forgettable, which had worked out well for me.

* * *

Tillo Peters, D8 Mentor

"You don't have to worry about me," Angora said. "It's my fault if I die."

She didn't seem suicidal, so I wasn't sure what she was going on about. "I wouldn't say _your_ fault," I said.

"I just don't want you to be sad if I die," she said. She was about to die and she was worried about _me._ It must be something to have that big a heart.

"Don't worry about me either," Cross said. "It's not a big deal if I die." He could see I was contemplating whether he needed a suicide guard, so he added, "I'll go... you know, somewhere."

Apparently, this was going to be a worry-free year. Unfortunately, I wasn't _that_ heartless.

* * *

Nassor Doyle, D9 Mentor

It had to be Hannah. My first year mentoring, and I got Hannah Dandelion. I knew her, of course. We all knew her. I was there when Sara was Reaped. I saw Hannah trying to hold her sister back and screaming for someone to volunteer. We were all there when she died.

Demetrius could take care of himself. He was stronger than I was. He was about as strong as Attila. If he died, I knew I wouldn't blame myself as much as if Hannah died. After it was over, I'd go back home to Nine. Home to where here parents were. It would be up to me to explain how I let the worst thing in the world happen a second time.

* * *

Bambi Kirkland, D10 Mentor

"Are things really that much better in the Capitol?" Gael asked.

"It's everything you expect and more. At least in wealth," I said. Bailey was petting Labyrinth, who alternated between mugging for more attention and looking back at me to make sure I didn't need help.

"They really have it all?" he asked.

"Pretty much," I said.

"Do they all have horses?" Bailey asked.

"Not all of them," I said.

"Then they're not _that_ rich," Bailey said.

* * *

Frankie Disney, D11 Mentor

There was something wrong with that Parker boy. He kept to himself at a table on the far end of the car, shoveling in food and snarling when I got too close.

"So... you know him?" I asked Rahina.

"He's sort of the village weirdo," she said.

"No kidding," I said. "How about you?"

She looked at me with a wide-eyed stare. "They call me the Devil's child."

"Are you?"

* * *

Nubu Sanders, D12 Mentor

Aliara and Nash were on two ends of the spectrum. Aliara had her head against the table and was wailing about never seeing her girlfriend again, while Nash was looking backwards over the chair and out the window, turning back every now and then to remark on our progress.

"We're almost at the border!" he said. "Yeah! Now we're in Eleven! I've never seen another District before. I suppose you've seen all of them. Which is the coolest?" He didn't pause so I could answer, instead electing to ask more questions. I awkwardly patted Aliara's back and waited for a lull.


	16. Parade

**It's Parker Springfield. Oops! *indicates Rhoda is describing footage of the Parade replayed for the audience.**

* * *

PRIAM STEED: Hello everyone and welcome to ParadeParazzi! I'm your host Priam Steed, along with the lovely and witty Tallulah Tulle. We're very pleased to introduce a special guest for this year's parade coverage. You've seen her before dozens of times, but she never loses her glamour. Please welcome Head Stylist Rhoda Hamilton!

RHODA HAMILTON: Thank you, Priam. It's so nice to be back.

TALLULAH TULLE: It's so nice to have you back! I remember the first time you came on. Priam and I were barely upstarts, and you were still a child prodigy! Now, of course, you're just a prodigy.

RHODA HAMILTON: Oh, stop! As much as I love attention, we're here for the parade. I'm just a source.

PRIAM STEED: She's right. Let's have some costumes! We wouldn't want these Laurels to sit around gathering dust.

RHODA HAMILTON [NARRATING]: For Ruby, we went with a sleek, classical golden gown. We _hope_ the gold motif will prove prophetic. Charming's stylist went a completely different direction. He tried to convince us to dress Ruby as Jane, but I told him it made no sense. We don't even have jungles in One! So poor Charming is all alone in a ridiculous ape-man costume.

PRIAM STEED: King of the _bungle._

TALLULAH TULLE: That slang is older than Panem.

RHODA HAMILTON [NARRATING*]: Nothing special here, really. Abrexa is a knight. Manny was... very unenthusiastic about the whole deal. We ended up letting him have his way and shoving him into an old Peacekeeper outfit. If he wants to throw his chances away, let him.

TALLULAH TULLE: That armor must be very heavy.

RHODA HAMILTON: It's actually pretty light. The biggest trouble was keeping her away from electronics so she didn't get incinerated.

PRIAM STEED: That would be a problem.

RHODA HAMILTON*: I don't know why, but I'm really bad at Three outfits. I just focused on Ash and Sparkil's makeup. I went with the cobalt and silver, and I used the blacklight paint a lot. That was really fun. Don't eat it, though. Your puke glows. Anyway, Sparkil was much easier for us. She's already a cyborg, so we just went futuristic with the clothes and took off the outer panel of her arm.

TALLULAH TULLE: Kind of spooky.

RHODA HAMILTON*: I'm not exactly overly fond of Four, so I just kind of spectated this one. I think Reefe turned out well, though. He's supposed to look like waves.

PRIAM STEED: I see it.

RHODA HAMILTON*: They went with a mermaid thing for Jackie. That's always popular. It's a pain in the butt to move in, though. Jackie had to hop everywhere.

RHODA HAMILTON*: I don't take responsibility for this one.

TALLULAH TULLE: Oh boy.

RHODA HAMILTON*: Apparently it's "pop art". I don't see how a giant balsa wood "power" is creative. On behalf of Blush, I beg forgiveness. Sammy's... a little better. Orange is bright, at least. Ehhh... it could be worse.

PRIAM STEED: Someone has to make the others look better.

RHODA HAMILTON*: I wasn't able to help much with Lancia. Her skin got irritated by the makeup, so we had to use special organic stuff and go a lot lighter. I don't really know what they were doing with Trent. I guess he likes "parkour" or something, so they just put him in athletic clothes. I guess running _is_ transportation.

PRIAM STEED: A-ha, a loophole!

RHODA HAMILTON*: I always liked Seven. It seemed like the stylists could do all these pretty forest nymphs and things. Instead... we got this. They said Sherman's outfit falling apart is supposed to represent autumn, but it just looks... a little Chippendales. Camellia actually _does_ look like an upside-down tree. She tried to convince us to let us to do the whole thing standing on her head, but we were afraid she'd break her neck.

TALLULAH TULLE: Oh, I get it. Brown on top, poofy green skirt on the bottom.

RHODA HAMILTON*: Eight is a double-edged sword. Textiles and clothing go hand in hand, but it's way harder to be innovative. I think Baste had a good idea this time, dressing Angora like a dress form. It's a cool twist. Cross managed to get some input into his outfit, as the messages, like "sponsor me!", attest.

TALLULAH TULLE: It's always good to network.

RHODA HAMILTON*: Deme did his own hair. He also braided Mint's hair, and Hannah's, and one of the Avoxes'. And most of the grain that makes up their outfits. He just really likes styling hair. If he wins, they should hire him as a stylist.

TALLULAH TULLE: Sign me up!

RHODA HAMILTON*: Phoebe vowed she would never do cows, but horses are fair game. Bailey is the jockey, and yes, there _were_ dirty jokes from just about everyone involved in the process.

PRIAM STEED: I wasn't going to say anything.

RHODA HAMILTON*: Parker was very insistent on being a potato. In his case we thought it was pretty much a last wish, so we did it. After the first bite, he stopped trying to eat his costume. I thought Rahina would like being a leafy forest goddess, but she seems to have a more casual style.

TALLULAH TULLE: I think it looks lovely!

RHODA HAMILTON*: Usually Twelve is just a pair of miners. I'm not sure a bucket of coal is much better. Meanwhile Aliara is Twelve's mascot: the mole. I don't know, maybe better than miners?

PRIAM STEED: At least it's innovative.

TALLULAH TULLE: Now that we have you here, what sort of duties are implied by being head stylist?

RHODA HAMILTON: The other stylists already know what they're doing. I help out and sort of oversee everything so they can work on their own projects. I go between and help them all communicate so there's a coherent parade, and I serve as an insider source on what's going to look good from the audience's angle. I don't really sew, so most of my hands-on work is with makeup. I know what looks good on different face types and how to make sure personality and makeup are in harmony. I also help the Tributes with stage fright put their best face forward.

TALLULAH TULLE: Sounds like a big responsibility.

RHODA HAMILTON: I'm a big personality.

PRIAM STEED: Now that we've seen all the costumes and the audience has had a minute to watch the recaps, we're going to take a short break to let everyone vote. Don't change the channel.

* * *

 _*music* If you want to have a lovely day, feed your baby Pollux Puree!_

 _Diogenes lightning: a bright day for even the staunchest cynic._

 _Hydra flowers- the blooms that survive anything!_

 _You'll never look back if you switch to Orpheus Insurance!_

* * *

TALLULAH TULLE: We're back! And we're ready for the main event. This year we have Best Costume, Worst Costume, Best Use of District, Strangest Costume, Prettiest Costume, and Most Inconvenient Costume.

PRIAM STEED: Ooh, let me go first! My first category is Most Inconvenient Costume. Our winner is... Parker Springfield! Since he fell halfway through and was unable to get back up.

TALLULAH TULLE: My envelope says Best Use of District. The winner is... Angora Chenille! For an inspired twist on a classic theme.

PRIAM STEED: Looks like I get Strangest Costume. This year's most bittersweet of awards goes to... Aliara Bavier! The strangest costume of them _mole._

TALLULAH: My favorite! The Laurel for Prettiest Costume goes to... Rahina Herrington! I'm sure she'll be overjoyed.

PRIAM STEED: I always get this one. The coveted Worst Costume Laurel goes to... Cain Pander! Pow! Zap! FAIL!

TALLULAH: Last of all, our special guest Rhoda Hamilton will present the _actually_ coveted Best Costume Laurel.

RHODA HAMILTON: This year's best of the best, the crowning achievement in Capitol fashion, was worn by... Sparkil Maclein!

PRIAM STEED: I was hoping she'd win.

RHODA HAMILTON: It really was a great merger of Tribute and District, and the blacklight paint was a blast.

TALLULAH TULLE: What an event! From the highest of haute couture to the bottom of bargain-bin bling. We'd like to thank the voters, our guest Rhoda Hamilton, and of course, the people who made it all possible: the stylists.

* * *

 **So that's why Rhoda wasn't in the last chapter. Since her Games wasn't a normal, televised affair, she has a unique role that's closer to stylist than mentor. It's not her entire role, though. It's a cover for the more underground stuff she does for the Capitol.**

 **Don't forget to send a Tribute to BirkarandaSurvivorCraver's Survivor Hunger Games! We had the ideas totally independently, so it's not a mirror image of mine. We've been swapping ideas, but we're doing a lot of things differently. For example, I think hers allows Tributes to be older than 18, so that's cool. I already submitted, and only one is allowed per person, but I want this to start! So submit!**


	17. Twist

**I went back and deleted all the half-Reapings since the full Reapings were in. If you want to review, you might have to do it as a guest, since it thinks you already reviewed this chapter.**

* * *

Titian Qin, Head Gamemaker

Rumors travel fast. Some of the Districts- mostly Four- already suspected I had something planned. As usual, I _did_ have something planned. Honestly, it had little to do with my job or the ongoing quest for higher audience approval. It was mostly a pet project- one I'd been thinking about for years.

Ever since the Patriot Games, I'd wanted to be more involved in the Games. I got to oversee Arenas and plan muttations, but it wasn't the same as actually being there. I wanted to be in the Arena, watching the action from the other side of that cold, empty screen. Ever since I blew that little boy scout's brains out, I'd had an even more pronounced taste for the Games. I wanted to be in the middle of the action. What I'd needed was an excuse.

My knowledge of history was what did it for me. Reality television didn't start with the Games. It went way back before that. The idea for the Games dated all the way back to King Minos of Crete, but we were largely inspired by the shows that dominated the airwaves in the years shortly before the Dark Days. Most of them were elimination-based, which tied right into our needs. Most importantly, for me, they all had one thing in common: a host. And who better to host than the Head Gamemaker?

Snow was much more open to innovation than Galba had been. Where she preferred to keep things simple, Snow offered a cold equation. If my idea was successful, he would reap the benefits. If it failed, he'd pin it on me. And almost certainly kill me. But I didn't get to be Head Gamemaker without a high tolerance for risk.

For my most personal Games yet, I chose my favorite game show. When I watched the tapes, I always thought it would have been the natural next step to make eliminations as permanent as they were in the Games. This year was going to be the most monumental Games since the first. And this Victor was going to be a Survivor.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1M

It seemed like people assumed the Career pack was a monolithic entity that came together ages before the Games. People don't realize that we're all Careers, but One, Two, and Four are very different places. We didn't know each other until the Games, and we were expected to act like we were allies for life. Before we were a sleek pack, we were a bunch of egotistical kids who had to get to know each other and size up our "allies".

Abrexa came straight to us as soon as we reached the Capitol. She wanted to get the awkward meetings done just as much as Ruby and I did. Ruby wasn't much of a talker, so I took over.

"So, rough year for Two, huh?" I asked, addressing the elephant in my room. I kept my tone sympathetic, and I didn't have to fake it. One moaned and complained if Two won, but most of us wanted to keep the victories within the Career Districts.

"Ugh, tell me about it," Abrexa said as she rolled her eyes. "I've been pretending Manny isn't there. Get this: he actually ran around trying to cripple hopeful volunteers. He gave my friend Castor a bruised rib."

"You're kidding. At least one of you wants it," I said.

"It's a living," she shrugged. I would have expected more enthusiasm from a real volunteer. Maybe there was more to Abrexa than the normal Career cliché.

"Reefe isn't a Career, either, is he?" I asked.

"No. Jackie mentioned him. She seemed more confused than let down. Apparently he really is as weird as he looks," Abrexa said.

"Let's find her and we can start laying out a plan," Ruby said. We set off as a pack, awaiting only our last member.

* * *

Nash Forger, D12

The day after the Parade, all the Tributes were summoned to the Gamemaker's Lounge of the Games Building. It was my first time seeing all the other Tributes for more than fleeting glances as I tried to peek over my chariot. I was both disappointed and relieved to see that the Tributes from One and Two weren't ten feet tall. The others mostly just looked like me.

A bowl on a pedestal stood in the middle of the room as we gathered ourselves onto curved couches that circled the round room. It looked almost exactly like the Games bowl, except it was black and opaque instead of clear. Some Gamemaker or something was standing next to it.

"Good morning, Tributes. You might or might not recognize me. I'm Head Gamemaker Titian Qin, and I have some very exciting news. You've probably heard some rumors about this year's Games. Before I tell you anything else, I'd like you all to come up and dip a hand into this bowl. Don't worry, nothing bad will happen. Just reach in and take something else. Put it into your pocket without looking at it. We'll discuss it later. In order of District, please," the main said.

Everyone went up in order, leaving me last of all. When I reached into the bowl, I felt something metallic in my hand. I tucked it into my pocket and took back my seat.

"The first exciting news is that this year's Games will involve teams," Titian said. The girl from Eleven groaned, while the boy from Eight let out a small "yay!" and blushed when everyone looked at him. Some of the Tributes started looking at possible teammates.

"The teams have already been decided. We'll reveal them soon. The other important change is that there will be no Bloodbath this year. In fact, there will be very little fighting at all," he said.

 _What?_ I thought, and barely stopped myself from shouting it. Titian waited dramatically for five seconds, taxing my patience to the limit.

"That's because this Games will be decided by vote."

" _What?"_ It wasn't me. It was Sammy who couldn't keep quiet any longer. Titian looked down his nose at her.

"Ex _cuse_ me. Anyway, this Games will be decided by vote. Pay attention, this is important. There will be two teams, or "tribes". Each day, there will be a challenge. The tribe that wins will receive a prize. Therefore, there will be no Cornucopia. The tribe that loses will be sent to Council. There, the members of the tribe will vote on which member to eliminate. The two members with the most votes will face off in a final battle. The loser... is eliminated," he said. Most of us sat gaping in shock. This changed everything. The Careers went from top of the pack to the ones we'd want to vote out first thing. The littlest ones- the cute ones, like me- actually had a chance.

"There are many bright sides to these changes. Aside from challenges and final battles, there will be no fights. You can sleep easy and enjoy calm respites between votes. In lieu of a token, you shall enjoy one luxury item that, if approved, will be shipped from your home or a Capitol store. With these changes, the Victor will be decided as much socially as physically or mentally. Alliances between tribal members- or tribes, if you can pull it off- are encouraged, as are betraying or reforming alliances. And now, let us reveal the tribes. Tributes, display your emblems," Titian said.

I took out the lump in my pocket. It was a red metal flower with four petals. Aliara had one too. Across the room, Charming swore.

"Please find the others with your emblem. You may start strategizing now. Tomorrow, you will find the training stations have been adjusted appropriately. I look forward to seeing you again as master of ceremonies for tribal council. Remember: outwit, outplay, outlast," Titian said.

* * *

 **The Arena isn't based on any particular nation in-universe, but in real life, I based it on Tonga, since most Survivors are on tropical islands. I picked the tribes with a random number generator.**

 **Tribes:**

 **Heilala tribe (Tongan national flower): Ruby, Charming, Jackie, Sammy, Lancia, Camellia, Reefe, Trent, Cross, Demetrius, Potato, Angora**

 **Fonu tribe (Tongan national animal, the turtle): Abrexa, Manny, Sparkil, Ashton, Cain, Sherman, Hannah, Bailey, Rahina, Aliara, Gael, Nash**

 **Luckily, the random numbers split evenly among the sexes.**

 **I messed up! I color-coded my tribes and read them wrong. Nash should have gotten a turtle for Fonu.**


	18. Fonu Introductions

Hannah Dandelion, D9

Fonu decided to put off training to take a little time for a meet and greet. We were from all over Panem, and if we were going to be a team, we had to get to know each other. We all grouped off according to personality or inclination, with a few exceptions. Rahina was by herself by a table of refreshments, sort of looking at everyone but not really joining in. Abrexa was by the door, having already accepted that she wouldn't likely get any allies here. She was just waiting for the group to disperse so she could start training.

Nature took its course, and Bailey and I paired up pretty quick. We were the same age and we were from sister Districts. Mine made the grain, hers made the cows that ate it.

"What do you think about the teams thing?" I asked. We'd discussed a few things about ourselves already. I hadn't mentioned Sara, and I hoped she wouldn't remember her from the tapes and put our names together.

"I like our team, except Abrexa," Bailey said. "But I think she won't be that bad since she's all by herself. Manny's not even a Career, right?"

"Yeah. That's weird, but it's good for us. Are you going to vote for her right away?" I asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we should keep her since she's strong, you know? Maybe I should vote for someone like Nash, but I'd feel like a monster," she said.

"I guess we won't know what to do until it happens," I said.

"So what did you bring for your luxury item or whatever?" Bailey asked.

"It's kind of silly," I admitted. "I should have asked for a tent or something. I brought Harry Potter."

"That's so cool! Can I read it sometime? I brought my horse's blanket. It's useful, but it's not as fun. I should have brought book two," she said.

"I brought a magnifying glass," Sparkil broke in from a few feet away. "We can make a fire with it." She joined our group and the talk turned back to District life and little things. It didn't seem important, but it might be the most important thing of all. Most Games were about individual achievement, but this one was built on teams. Friends were the difference between life and death. I'd always been good at making friends. It wasn't even a nefarious plot for me. I really _did_ like Bailey and Sparkil.

* * *

Gael Orford, D10

We were in teams this year, and a team meant a leader. Abrexa would be the first one people thought of, but a lot of outliers weren't going to let a Career call the shots. Nash was too young, Rahina was walled off like a fortress, and Hannah was too nice. The others were all contenders. I didn't care who our official leader was. I didn't have the confidence or charisma to openly lead a tribe. What I wanted was to be the behind-the-scenes architect. I also wanted one ally, so I could pin the blame on them if things went wrong.

"What are you going all alone over here? Are you a team of one?" Aliara asked, sidling up to me where I leaned against the wall. She leaned up next to me, imitating my posture.

"Just shy, I guess," I said.

"Don't be. We have a great tribe going here. Only one real Career, and she's all alone. This is great for people like us," Aliara said. She seemed like a friendly, open girl, and I wondered if we couldn't get something going here.

"If the outliers stick together, we can run the show. We should meet sometime and discuss who we'll vote for first. Abrexa's the most intimidating, but there might be others who pull less weight," I said. No one wanted to say it, but Nash was obviously the weakest. However, that also meant he wasn't a threat and might be more wisely kept around a while.

"Maybe we could pit them against each other. She obviously hates Manny," Aliara said. I noticed she was holding a book and asked about it.

"This? It's my luxury item. I mentioned it to Chimera so he ran out and grabbed one in the Capitol. It's a romance," she said as she held up the book so I could read the title: _Wuthering Heights._ It became clear to me what she had in mind. It wasn't a situation I'd ever dealt with before, so I had little idea how to react.

"Maybe you can tell me about it sometime," I said. It was the best excuse for a flirt I had in me. Aliara was much more versed in the romantic arts. Either she'd lose interest eventually and find someone else, or I might possibly forge an alliance that wouldn't soon fall apart.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

"What did you bring for the Games?" Hannah asked me. I'd been trying to steer clear of everyone else, but to no avail.

"Nothing," I said.

"Come on. We all showed ours," Hannah coaxed.

"It's stupid, okay? Just leave it alone," I said.

"Sparkil brought a magnifying glass," Hannah said. "Come see it," she invited, gesturing to the other girls clustered in a circle chatting.

"No thanks. I'm not much of a people person," I said. I didn't know why she was even staying around so long. Everyone knew I was a grouch.

 _Everyone_ doesn't _know I'm a grouch._ No one here knew me at all. I could be anyone I wanted, in theory. I wasn't about to "turn over a new leaf" and reinvent myself as a happy, peppy best friend, but I didn't have to be an outcast anymore. We were all outcasts here. Furthermore, it was in my best interest to change a few things. If everyone started to think I _was_ a grouch, they'd vote for me instead of cute little Nash or sweet friendly Hannah. When Hannah moved to leave me alone and rejoin her friends, I followed.

"Hey, maybe I should be more friendly. You guys talking strategy?" I asked.

"A little, but mostly we're just talking about ourselves so we can get to know each other," Hannah said. We reached the group and everyone stared at me. I stared back, daring them to say something.

"I brought a marble," I muttered, shoving my open hand into the middle of the circle impulsively. If anyone laughed, I'd have an excuse to leave and go back to being alone. If they kept their mouths shut, maybe I could stick around.

"Wow, it's so cool!" Bailey said.

"It looks like a galaxy," Sparkil said, leaning closer to look. I relaxed a little.

"It _is_ pretty cool," I said. "That's why I brought it."

* * *

Cain Pander, D5

Nash was all by himself at the snack table, eating some fancy pastry thing. In any situation, I always gravitated toward littler kids, and my nature took over.

"Pretty good stuff, huh?" I asked, taking a pastry so he wouldn't feel alone.

"Yeah, it's so good! I'm gonna get fat!" he said.

"This is a pretty messed up Games. I'm happy about the team thing, though. We don't have to worry about Careers all the time," I said.

"I wonder what kind of challenges there will be," Nash said.

"I hope it's three-legged races. I'm good at that," I said.

"I hope it's holding tarantulas," Nash said.

"Are you good at holding tarantulas?" I asked.

"I don't know. I've just always wanted to hold a tarantula," Nash said.

"I think they have them in Eleven. Maybe Rahina has held one," I said.

"The _tarantula_ would be scared if Rahina was holding him," Nash said. After a pause, he continued. "You think we'll be on a tropical island or something? Demi said this year is based on some old show, and usually it was on an island."

"I hope so. Anything but cold. I'm delicate," I said. Nash laughed, but then his face fell.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm the youngest. I probably won't be around long. At least I'll get to see an island, though," he said. It creeped me out how well he was keeping it together, seeing as he was actively anticipating his own death.

"No way! They won't vote for you. They're going to vote for Manny and Abrexa," I said.

"Because they think I'm not a threat?" Nash asked.

"Let them think whatever they want as long as they don't vote for you," I said. " _I_ won't vote for you."

"I won't vote for you either," he said. If it was up to me, I wouldn't vote for anyone. Not even Abrexa.


	19. Heilala Introductions

Ruby Lalonde, D1

It was obvious the three Careers would stick together. Charming, Jackie and I were a strong ready-made trio, and it seemed expedient to allow Reefe on the periphery even if he _was_ only a quasi-Career. We needed six members to get an absolute guarantee of safety, but four was a solid start. If we could convince the others to take the obvious path and vote Potato out during our first council, we'd be that much closer to a majority. It was unlikely the outliers would ever let us gain the advantage of numbers, but we could perhaps form sub-alliances and focus their energies toward the undesirables. Specifically, Reefe.

Very little of my ideas came out during our tribal meet-and-greet. I preferred to keep things to myself. The others would ask about the important things. Lancia and Cross hit it off right away and started formulating their own strategies. Potato staked out one of the snack tables and set about devouring it. Sammy, Camellia and Angora clustered together and started to whisper in teenager voices. Demetrius and Trent awkwardly made conversation, since they were the only ones left. As for the Careers, we got ready.

"I think we should spend one day on survival things," I suggested. The rules stated that we would be provided starvation rations of rice and beans, but the rest of our food was up to us to procure. In an interesting departure from normal Games, we would be instructed as to which plants were poisonous and which were safe. Titian didn't want any accidental deaths. He also told us it was forbidden to physically interfere with other Tributes. Detrimentally, anyway... whatever that was supposed to insinuate.

"That's a good idea. Reefe and me already know how to fish. Why don't you two learn about hunting and plants?" Jackie said. Only someone who had trained with Charming for years would recognize the hesitation in his expression. In a normal Games, I would have trusted Jackie. She seemed like one of the friendly Careers we saw every few years. But this time, different skills were necessary. She might have been trying to maximize our efficiency, but she might have been trying to ensure she was the only one with a valuable skill. The dynamics and chances were completely different this year. We had to change as fast as the rules did.

* * *

Jackie Hawkins, D4

I only realized after I said it how suspicious I sounded. I really had just meant that it would make more sense to spread out our skills, but it sounded like I wanted to be the only one with an indispensable skill. I quickly moved to remedy the situation.

"Then again, we'll catch more fish if we all know how. How about we help show you?" I asked.

"I think that would be great," Charming said, moving in to mend the rift before it opened. We turned to safer topics of voting tactics and outlier threats.

Personally, I liked being in a team. Some people dreaded it, and it _was_ awful if you had rotten teammates, but I didn't think that would be much of a problem. I wasn't overly fond of a volunteer-cheat like Reefe, but the rest were okay. Potato was one of our best advantages. He looked like a complete hindrance, but his uses were twofold. First, he was the obvious first vote and the one we would all tell each other was for the best to soothe our consciences. Second, he wasn't a guaranteed Career vote. We weren't even sure he could _read._

I took an unconventional approach to my training. I did some of the puzzles and agility courses they set out, but I spent a lot of time on mundane activities. I already liked to cook, so I took some time to learn about the spice plants we might find on the island. I practiced grinding them and the instructor and I made a soup together. Not only was it really fun, it was also very strategic.

The way to stay alive was not to get voted out. The way to not get voted out was to not have people vote for you. People wouldn't vote for someone they wanted to have around. I didn't have to worry about fishing becoming a shared skill. To stay alive, I needed to be an asset. A friendly, supportive girl who kept the camp homey and made the food taste less like raw fish was a definite asset.

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6

I didn't have a definite place in the tribe. The Careers got together right away, and most of the others found pairs or groups. Me and Demetrius were the odd ones out. It was likely we'd be some of the first targets. I needed to make sure I was a huge asset to the camp. Or at least a bigger asset than Demetrius- at the very least, Potato.

We'd been briefed on some ideas of what to expect for challenges during the Games. I was glad to hear there would be a good deal of agility challenges. Puzzles weren't my strong suit, so it was obvious I should brush up on my strengths. It seemed like a waste of time to do something I was already good at, but I had a plan. It might happen that the first challenge would be a puzzle or something. I'd do really terrible, and if our tribe lost, I'd look like I had no skills. It was important to not only be good at something, but to have everyone _know_ I was good at it.

With that in mind, I swept the room before I started the agility course. The Careers were at the fishing station, weirdly enough. They looked up at the others intermittently, so I had a partial audience. Lancia and Cross were doing memory exercises, but they were also keeping an eye on their tribemates. Camellia and Sammy were throwing red balls at each other. Sammy nailed Camellia in the stomach and she threw herself to the ground with one arm splayed over her eyes and the other clutching her heart.

It was no big deal for me to do the agility course. It was made for beginners, not people with experience. I made sure to do all the coolest looking moves, whether or not they were the hardest. I smacked my feet and hands down harder than I had to, just to make sure people heard me. I didn't make any obnoxious, attention-seeking yells, but I made sure my presence was noticeable.

When I reached the finish and looked around, a few faces had taken notice of me. Jackie was making a silent "ooh" face as she oversaw the Careers making fishhooks. Lancia looked interested but not really impressed. Camellia was less reserved.

"That was wicked!"


	20. Plotting

Abrexa James, D2

 _Screw my life._

I must have really pissed off the gods in a past life. I was born into a District I had nothing in common with, I got a mother who wanted a Victor and not a daughter, and now I was the only Career in my tribe. I was the only Career and the prime target, and I never wanted to be a Career in the first place. Most likely, I was going to be the first to die. My last act would be to disappoint my entire family.

Humorously enough, my only ghost of a chance came from the thing my family tried to talk me out of: psychology. I was well-trained for the Games, but I was totally unprepared for the more or less randomness this competition offered. From the sound of things, I could get voted to death because I was the worst at balancing teacups or something. I didn't have enough time to learn a new set of skills. My only chance was to convince everyone I was something I wasn't.

My moment came when I saw the Fonu girls gathered at the word puzzles station. I inched closer, trying to look reluctant.

"Is it okay if I join you?" I asked. They looked up at me like President Snow had just asked "permission" to join their little group.

"Sure, I guess," Hannah said. I sat at the edge of the table, being careful not to crowd them. The others pretended to get back to their puzzles, but no one did any work. They just looked at me out of the corner of their eyes.

"Look, no use beating around the bush," I said. "I know I'm the first target. I came over to make my case. I won't lie and say I'm not a threat, but that's not the only factor here. Maybe I'm the first one you want to vote out, but if you keep me around, you might not have to vote _anyone_ out. I'm strong and fast and trained for this. I'm a bad opponent, but I'm a good teammate. Keep me around, and we'll win challenges. We win challenges, nobody goes out. If you vote me out right away, that saves you from sending someone you like. But it only saves you for one day. After that, you're back where you started, but your team is that much weaker. Face it: after I'm gone, you're going to lose a lot more challenges," I said.

"Bull. You want us to be smaller so there are fewer of us in your way," Rahina said.

"So vote me out before that happens. I'm only one person. I'll _never_ have a majority. I don't think I'll change your minds and make any allies. Vote me out once the tribe gets small enough. But don't vote me out first. Hate me all you want, but don't be stupid," I said.

People weren't robots. Psychology wasn't a magic combination of words or gestures that made people change their minds, especially about something as deeply ingrained as hatred for Careers. But self-interest trumped everything. I couldn't brainwash them into liking me, but if letting me live was good for them, it went past everything else.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

We all said we weren't going to let the Careers boss us around, but when Charming called a meeting, we went. We knew what he was going to talk about, and it was something we all knew was necessary.

"You all know what I'm about to say," Charming said as we gathered around a table. The only one missing was Potato, who was poking around the room looking for food. We looked down at the table as Charming continued.

"Eventually, we're going to lose a challenge. We're the stronger tribe, but things happen. When it happens, we're going to need to vote someone out. I know there's no love lost among you for Careers, but it doesn't make any sense to vote out your strongest members first. Do that, and we'll only lose more challenges. We all know the first vote has to be Potato," Charming said.

"What? We can't! We can't vote to kill someone like that. He's the only innocent one here!" Cross burst out. He looked at the rest of us for support, and we looked away. I hadn't thought anyone would speak up, and I wished he hadn't. I hadn't felt _really_ guilty until then.

"It's the smart thing to do," Reefe said.

"It's the _wrong_ thing to do," Cross said. "You all know it is."

"I don't care about right or wrong. I just want to stay alive," Ruby said.

"He's dead weight. He's barely alive now," Jackie said. She looked at her hands after she said it.

"We all think this is the best choice. You think you're the only one who knows better?" Trent asked.

"It doesn't matter how many people do something. It's either wrong or it's not," Cross said. When no one said anything else, he got up and left the room.

"We don't need his vote. Nobody wants to do this, but it's the way things are," Charming said. The rest of us nodded and dispersed one at a time, nobody wanting to be close to anyone else.

After I left, I tracked down Cross on the Eight floor. He was sitting in a chair with his hands clenched and his eyes closed.

"That was really brave, not giving in," I said.

"I'm just a black-and-white thinker, I guess," he said. "It doesn't mean I'm right."

"I think you are," I said. "I should have said something. It's just so hard to speak up. From now on, I think I will. And I don't think I want any of them as allies."

"Me neither," he said. Just like that, I had the most trustworthy ally in the Games.

* * *

Reefe Mordecai. D4

I screwed up. I done screwed up. I could have sold blood and plasma. I could have been a coin-diver for Capitol tourists. I could have set up a blasted _kissing booth._ Any of those would have been better ideas than joining a deathmatch for a faint chance at winning a fortune. I was a screwup.

It was time for damage control. On the bright side, I'd screwed up during the best possible year. The voting element, oddly enough, gave me much more control over my fate than I otherwise would have had. I didn't have to be the strongest or smartest. I just had to manage my image the best.

It was another stroke of luck that being a less-trained Career would also be a benefit this time around. Instead of the nines and tens Charming, Ruby and Jackie would get, I'd likely get a 7 or and 8. Of the Careers, I was the smallest threat. If I wasn't a Career and had to pick one of us to vote for, I'd pick Charming. He was the friendliest and most charismatic, which meant he was the most likely to win. Me, I'd be last one I'd pick. I was the goofball from Four who was obviously insane, since he had a completely asinine reason to volunteer.

This was no time for specialization. I needed to be a jack of all trades, decent at everything but excellent in nothing. I had to be the quiet, average member of the tribe- one that did useful work and was acceptably good at challenges, but one that didn't have the skills to win and therefore didn't need to be voted out. I had to arrange it so that when people thought about who to vote for, I didn't even come to mind. If I pulled this thing off and won, it would be by default. Default was fine if it meant not dying.

Being resoundingly middle-of-the-pack was easier than being the best and less risky than pretending to be the worst. I thanked my lucky stars I'd asked for a flute as my luxury item. A little nice music both made camp life more enjoyable and made me look like someone who definitely wasn't serious enough to win. I was just an average tribemate. Nothing to be worried about.

It wasn't over yet. Just because I screwed up once didn't mean I'd do it again. Average was easy to attain. Average was easy to forget. If people could just forget me all the way up to the end, that would be great.

* * *

 **Longer POVs this time, for no reason. It actually weirds me out a bit that I write POVs with no attention toward length and they always turn out to be pretty close to 400 words. Not this time.**


	21. Potato Potahto

Potato Springfield, D11

The strange, colorfully-dressed woman kept following me around. She kept her distance after I bit her when she got too close to me at breakfast, but she kept following me. She was obsessed with me or something.

"Hel-lo Par-ker. Do... you... want... some... lunch?" she asked, pointing at a table.

"I can talk," I said. Her blue eyelids flew up and her purple lips drew into a surprised ring.

"Oh! Dear me, I never thought. Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.

"Had enough food," I said. "Name's not Parker."

"That's what was on the form," the woman said, looking confused. "What is it, then?"

"Potato," I said.

"What a funny name!" she said. I glared at her.

"Potatoes not funny," I said. "Potatoes _everything."_

"Everything?" the woman said. It was hard to understand her, what with the funny accent and all the words she used. "Why are potatoes everything?"

"Potatoes are food. Potatoes are life. Potatoes are holy," I said, stretching my vocabulary to the limit.

"Potatoes are holy," the woman repeated, screwing up her face and backing away.

"Yes," I said. "Give life. Appear in ground. Fill stomach," I said.

"You worship potatoes," she said. "He worships potatoes," she whispered.

"At home, there is holy potato. Men would not let me bring. Is still holy," I said. Just because my special potato, the one I never ate, was still at home, that did not make it less godly.

"I am very sorry to not be able to meet the Holy Potato," the woman said.

"Maybe can meet it someday," I comforted her.

"I can't believe I'm asking this," she said, most of it sounding like nonsense to me. "If potatoes are holy, why do you eat them?"

"Why eat potatoes?" I asked. "Is right. Eat potato, potato goes back in earth. Make more potato."

"Of course," she said. "How could I be so silly?"

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

I didn't know what to do. Potato was... not right. He was handicapped or something. Whatever age his body was, his mind couldn't have been older than eight. It was a horrible, ghastly thing to vote to kill someone like that. I'd never be able to live with myself, but I wasn't sure there was any way around it.

I had to vote for someone. Titian said abstaining wasn't allowed. No way around it, I had to name someone to kill. Best-case scenario, every vote ended up being in the minority. If I did everything right, I might never be directly responsible for killing someone. But if I did that, I gave up any influence that might help me save myself. I didn't know if I was brave enough.

 _He's going to die either way,_ I told myself. No matter how things turned out, there was no way Potato would win. _So then it doesn't matter if you vote for him,_ I thought. Partially, it was true. It would make no difference to Potato whether or not I voted for him. But no matter how I phrased in it my head and no matter how many arguments I made, I couldn't change the fact that it _would_ make a difference to _me._

Words and rhetoric weren't anything outside of arguments. Right was still right and wrong was still wrong, no matter how pretty someone talked. I could say I did what I had to or that there was no way around it, but I couldn't lie forever. Whatever I did was my choice. No one made me do it. I decided what was most valuable and acted on it.

Why did it matter? Why did I have to beat myself up over something I never asked for? I didn't choose to vote. I only chose _how_ to vote. You wouldn't call someone a thief if someone else held his hand open and put something into it. The Capitol did the killing. More words, more rhetoric, maybe I'd convince myself.

I made myself one promise: I'd never vote for Sammy. She was the youngest in Heilala. She was the closest to a little kid. Morals aside, it was just my nature. I couldn't vote for a little kid. I knew in my heart the same would likely apply to Potato, but we'd have to wait until voting day and see how deep my morals really ran.

* * *

Aliara Bavier, D12

I promised Zelena I'd get home for her. Whatever I had to do, it was worth it for her. She was my everything, and nothing mattered more. I didn't _want_ to kill anyone- _none_ of us wanted to- but sometimes things had to be done, even if you didn't want to. None of us asked to be here (minus Abrexa) and none of us was to blame for what we did.

Gael might or might not believe I was really in love with him. Of course he didn't believe it yet. These things didn't happen at first sight. Even I wasn't that romantic. I might be able to convince him over time, but he'd be on the lookout for double-crosses just like that. I was a good actor, but this was a tough audience. Anyway, the most important thing wasn't to fool him into thinking I really felt anything. It was to fool him into thinking he was smarter than me. If he thought he knew what I was up to, he'd think I was easy to manipulate. He'd expect me to favor him in the votes because he was my patsy, and he might possibly favor me in return so he'd reap the benefits longer. It was a tangled web I wove, and it would only get more tangled.

For now, the priority was to make sure I wasn't the one that got more votes than anyone else. Instead of a free-for-all, this year was a game of musical chairs. One left without, and then another, and another. Maybe hot potato was more appropriate. Everyone passing the buck to someone else, doing anything necessary to make sure anyone but you was holding that potato when the time ran out. Wouldn't that Potato kid be happy?

I had to try to keep myself in check. I was an all-or-nothing person, and that would definitely be a problem. Despite my best efforts, I got attached to people, and once I was attached, there was no going back. I'd done some pretty stupid things in the name of love. Part of the reason I picked Gael (other than the unfortunate limitations of orientation- Rahina was setting off my gaydar something major, but that wasn't happening for half a dozen reasons) was that I definitely wouldn't _ever_ get attached. My friends were another story. Honestly, that ship had already sailed.

* * *

 **Random note: Aliara's gaydar is correct.**


	22. Blah Blah Chapter Title

Sherman Betula, D7

 _Unscramble the following:_

 _aalelhi_

 _oiuvrvsr_

 _iccnolu_

 _tvocri_

It wasn't getting any easier. I'd been practicing all day, but I never got any better. It didn't even make any sense. It was stupid to determine life and death over a stupid puzzle. This year's Victor wouldn't be based on skill or District. It was just plain luck.

"What's that?" Sammy asked when she happened by. The tribes hadn't been intermingling much except for the Careers, but Sammy was a friendly sort of girl.

"Word puzzles," I said. She looked at the list and made a face.

"You're on your own. Words always look like that to me," she said, and she wandered away.

 _You're on your own._ I certainly hoped not. Goodness knew no one would win this year alone, especially not me. I needed to make connections within my tribe.

Cain and Nash seemed like a good place to start. They were both friendly and open to outsiders. Nash was young enough to think most older boys were cool, and Cain would approve of anyone who was nice to his friend. I found them at the poisons station, which seemed like an odd place to be.

"What are you doing here? There's not going to be much fighting," I said.

"It's still here, so we think it's a trick. Nash is already good at puzzles, so we thought we should get ready just in case," Cain said.

"Titian said the people we vote for have a battle. Sometimes it might be a real fight, since the Capitol likes to watch fights. I'm little, so I'll need tricks if I want to win," Nash said.

There was something embarrassing about having a twelve-year-old be better prepared than I was, but this was no time for pride. If you can't beat them (or don't want to, in Nash's case), join them. I sat down with the duo and started mixing poisons.

* * *

Bailey Arroyo, D10

Some people were not made for pull-ups. The abs were willing, since I exercised them every day while riding, but the arms were weak. I could pull myself up maybe three inches before everything just stopped. Tug all I want, I wouldn't go any higher.

In addition to past Games tapes, Titian had released some clips from the pre- Dark Days shows this year was based on. I'd been watching them religiously. Every year the shows were different, but a lot of them had a few things in common. For example, every year had some sort of challenge were all the contestants had to hold some difficult pose and see who lasted the longest. I was _trying_ to get ready for that, but my body had other ideas.

In the end, persistence paid off. I got my chin to touch the bar. After that, I was sore as all get out, and I knew any more physical training would just end up hurting me. I retired to my room, dialed for a piece of pizza and some soda, and resumed my studies.

The tapes before me were my first real exposure to pre-Dark Days culture. Based on what I saw, them people were _weird._ They had tons of food- half the contestants were _fat._ The only fat people I'd ever seen were Capitolites, Peacekeepers, and one weird guy in the District who had a giant lump on his throat and couldn't lose weight. I couldn't understand why any of these people would _want_ to go on an island with hardly any food. How rich did you have to be to think starving was fun? I thought only President Snow was that rich, but these people were normal back then.

Another weird thing was just how unpredictable the show was. The challenges could be anything from rolling stone balls up hills to eating bugs. If my life hadn't been on the line, it might have been fun to do something so crazy. When it was life and death, though, I would have liked more certainty.

The real reason I was watching was to see what the winners had in common. Unfortunately, they had nothing in common. Some were the nice ones, some were the schemers, some were the villains, and some just seemed totally random. I had no idea which one to emulate. It was a total crapshoot. The one tiny thing I could latch onto was that _usually,_ the mean ones didn't win. I wasn't a mean person, so that was nice. At least I had something going for me.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

I was okay at most of the puzzles and activities in the training room. After a few tries, I decided to take a more practical approach. Titian said we'd be provided with tiny amounts of food but we were highly encouraged to supplement it however we could. He said the island would be seeded with plants and game, and a lot of my tribemates were more interested in the plants. Me, I was going big or going home. I wanted the meat.

Chickens and fish were one thing. I did not expect to see a nearly cow-sized pig in the hunting simulation. Even though it was just a hologram, I was scared to throw a spear at the behemoth. Its tusks were as long as my forearm, and it was as fat as you'd expect a pig to be. I was starting to think Titian fibbed about the "no outside of council deaths" thing.

"You know, I think I read a book about this once," I said as I faced a protean pig with nothing but a stick sharpened into a spear. "And it didn't end well."

 _Okay, maybe leave the boars alone._ Chickens, fish, seagulls, and rabbits were plenty for me. Besides, the instructor said if you didn't cook pork right you got these gross worms that burrowed into your muscles and stayed there for years. That was a no. He also mentioned rabbit fever, but that could at least be prevented by not eating the livers.

I was glad to be in Fonu. There were two targets more obvious than me, and while they were getting cut, I could work on solidifying my place in the tribe. I didn't care about backstabbing or being a leader or any of that stuff. I just wanted to stay alive. Whatever happened, only one of us was getting out. The votes only determined the order of the deaths, and the order didn't make a difference.

* * *

Cain Pander, D5

Training was practically a formality. Spacial awareness skills and dexterity were innate, not learned. Really, training was just another part of the social experiment this Games was based on. It was a chance to see the others and take notes.

Already I could see the differences between Fonu and Heilala. Charming was the obvious leader of Heilala, just by his charismatic and engaging nature. Ruby was playing the role of second-in-command, but she didn't seem to really care about Charming. She just valued the balance of security and power that second place brought. Most of the others lingered in the middle. Potato was the clear sacrificial lamb, and Reefe was the lowest on the social totem pole.

My own tribe was much less organized. We didn't have a leader. Hannah was the closest thing, but that was just because she was the friendliest. She never put on airs or gave orders. We all did mostly whatever we wanted. Abrexa was the omega, and Nash was in serious danger of getting voted out early. If Abrexa and Nash were the two lowest votes, the final battle would be a joke. I couldn't stand the thought of seeing Nash go, but saving him meant picking someone else to go in his place.

It was easier to say it was okay if it was someone older. The boundaries were artificial and emotional, but I felt better about voting for Abrexa or Aliara than I would have for Hannah or Nash. I was lucky that most of my tribemates were my age and only Nash was really a little kid. The thing was, I didn't really know who I wanted to vote for. There was no one I disliked enough to wish death upon. The only logical choice was to vote based on strategy, but I had no idea which tribemates would be best to have at any given time. I might vote out the best runner and the next challenge was a race, or I might vote out someone good at remembering numbers and _that_ was the next challenge. There was an element of randomness never before seen in the Games. I couldn't even see a single day ahead. I had no idea how to plan for staying alive.


	23. Private Sessions

ATTN: TITIAN QIN

PRIVATE SESSIONS REPORT

THEODORA HARP AND HaRlEqUiN mArCeAu

* * *

DISTRICT ONE MALE: CHARMING GOODWIN

DESCRIPTION: So, how exactly does this work? Just saying, you could have brought up your "innovative" idea a few weeks ago so we'd have had time to make some categories that made sense. The heck does it matter now if they can use a sword? What are we judging, their likeability? And what does it matter? There aren't any sponsors this year.

I digress. Luckily, SOME of us had FORESIGHT and monitored the training rooms. Charming demonstrated memory skills for his actual session. He's also been studying body language in the library. He seems to be Heilala's leader, which will increase his odds. He's also pretty, well, charming.

STRENGTHS: Charisma, charm, all-around skills and personality

WEAKNESSES: Anti-Career bias

ODDS: How the heck do I know? Basically 1/24, like literally everyone except Potato.

SCORE: 9, not that it matters.

NOTES: Ruby doesn't seem to think you're charming. Better watch your back for the quiet ones.

* * *

DISTRICT ONE FEMALE: Ruby Lalonde

DESCRIPTION: Ruby showed us sword stuff. It was really good, but also useless. We did some snooping and got her files from the Academy. She's a devoted and promising student after only three years. She also has some guilt about watching two of her friends get murdered when she was a child. Don't worry, though, she seems to have done well. After the alcoholic phase. That was only a little while, though, and she's clean now. Teens do stupid things sometimes.

STRENGTHS: Perseverance, knowledge of practical skills. Plus the girl's already seen some crap so nothing probably scares her.

WEAKNESSES: Anti-Career bias, poor self-image

SCORE: 9

NOTES: Honestly I think all that just shows how strong she is.

* * *

DISTRICT TWO MALE: MANNY GUERRERO

DESCRIPTION: Manny's not a Career. Nonetheless, he focused on combat. He did bare-knuckle boxing, which is the combat most likely to come into play in the Games. Our surveillance shows that he realizes his compromised status as neither entirely Career nor entirely outlier, and he is working toward an intelligent strategy of ensuring Abrexa is the first target.

STRENGTHS: Scrappy, skates around anti-Career bias

WEAKNESSES: Chip on his shoulder, skates around Anti-Career bias.

SCORE: 8

NOTES: But like just because Abrexa dies doesn't mean you won't.

* * *

DISTRICT TWO FEMALE: ABREXA JAMES, Jr.

DESCRIPTION: Abrexa showed us word puzzles, showing both skill and adaptability. Academy records indicate high intelligence but extreme laziness and arrogance.

STRENGTHS: Willing to change to suit new rules, is actively courting allies

WEAKNESSES: Only Career in tribe

SCORE: 9

NOTES: I dunno, I kind of hope you pull this off.

* * *

DISTRICT THREE MALE: ASHTON SUMMERS

DESCRIPTION: Ash surprised us by demonstrating hunting skills. He looks like he might be able to get something. If he does, he will be very valuable. Outside of the sessions, Ash is not aggressively making connections within his tribe. This will likely hinder him.

STRENGTHS: Thinks outside the box, isn't emotionally involved with tribemates

WEAKNESSES: Likely to be the odd man out

SCORE: 8

NOTES: Yeah loners won't win this year.

* * *

DISTRICT THREE FEMALE: SPARKIL MACLEIN

DESCRIPTION: Sparkil must have reached the same conclusion we did about the sessions, since she went weird. Instead of doing anything normal, she just used wires and mechanical bits to make a dummy dance. Very cool, but there won't be electronics on the island. On another note, Sparkil sent an application to the Capitol last year to come work for us. Her qualifications looked impressive.

STRENGTHS: Solid alliances, likely to be a useful member during puzzles.

WEAKNESSES: Overconfident, tends to assume she knows more than other people

SCORE: 7

NOTES: I'm still geeking out over the parade outfit.

* * *

DISTRICT FOUR MALE: REEFE MORDECAI

DESCRIPTION: Reefe did some puzzles, then realized how boring that was and played us a flute song. That was very cool.

STRENGTHS: Likely to be popular in camp, probably will be underestimated

WEAKNESSES: Literally the single most stupid reason I have ever heard for volunteering.

SCORE: 7

NOTES: All those instruments will make pretty music... at your funeral.

* * *

DISTRICT FOUR FEMALE: JACKIE HAWKINS

DESCRIPTION: Jackie focused on the physical puzzles, but analysis of her training days reveals a more well-rounded personality. Jackie's case is opposite to Manny's. Since her Tribe has more Careers, her status as the mellowest Career allows her to play both sides. Since _someone_ (not naming any names, _Pernicia)_ leaked info about this year's twist, Jackie was selected as the optimal volunteer. Attached is a copy of her Academy assessment, which details her personality.

STRENGTHS: She's not as scary as the other Careers. She'll probably go with the flow and stick with the other Careers. Ruby in particular is lobbying for Career solidarity.

WEAKNESSES: The others might want to get rid of the nice ones in case they get popular

SCORE: 8

NOTES: I think you might win. No real reason why.

* * *

DISTRICT FIVE MALE: CAIN PANDER

DESCRIPTION: Cain did some poison, which was weird, and some puzzles, which was less weird. He was okay at both. Outside the sessions, he's been making connections with Nash and Sherman, which should lessen the target on himself.

STRENGTHS: Mild-mannered, pleasant, helpful

WEAKNESSES: He won't do well in any fire-based challenges

SCORE: 5

NOTES: Average is the best place to be this time.

DISTRICT FIVE FEMALE: SAMANTHA VOLTAGE

DESCRIPTION: Sammy flitted between the stations, hitting a little of everything in a lovely sampler. Outside of her session, Sammy has been naturally making alliances with other Tributes like herself, most notoriously Camellia.

STRENGTHS: Fun personality, not a backstabber

WEAKNESSES: Possible blindside victim

SCORE: 6

NOTES: It's like dodgeball. Can't lose if they don't hit you.

* * *

DISTRICT SIX MALE: TRENT BUCHANAN

DESCRIPTION: Trent did a lot of weird "parkour" stuff. It was pretty cool when he did a backflip off the wall, though.

STRENGTHS: Definitely physically fit. He doesn't have grudges against anyone.

WEAKNESSES: Trent has had difficulty finding an alliance to plug into. This will be a major hindrance during this year.

SCORE: 7

NOTES: It's going to be hard to do it all alone.

* * *

DISTRICT SIX FEMALE: LANCIA AUDREN

DESCRIPTION: Lancia, to no one's surprise, did a super cool gymnastics thing. She did monkey bars and then a floor routine. Apparently you can just do a flip right on the floor.

STRENGTHS: Lancia has been curating her connections and keeping a low profile. She also displays the ability to withstand peer pressure.

WEAKNESSES: She may have alienated some allies with her refusal to play along.

SCORE: 8

NOTES: Well _I_ thought it was cool.

* * *

DISTRICT SEVEN MALE: SHERMAN BETULA

DESCRIPTION: Sherman did the obstacle course and some puzzles. Not bad. Not bad at all. He is served well by being on a team with Nash, who will nearly inevitably die first.

STRENGTHS: Well-rounded, average Tribute likely to be overlooked.

WEAKNESSES: Has no one skill that will propel him to the top. Only the middle.

SCORE: 5

NOTES: I already forgot who this was.

* * *

DISTRICT SEVEN FEMALE: CAMELLIA SPRUCE

DESCRIPTION: Camellia told us riddles. She _does_ know her riddles. Not sure how that will help, but maybe there will be a riddle challenge. Come to think of it, that could totally happen. She also has the beginnings of some alliances with the girls her age.

STRENGTHS: Riddles...

WEAKNESSES: Doesn't seem to be taking this seriously.

SCORE: 4

NOTES: How is a raven like a writing-desk?

* * *

DISTRICT EIGHT MALE: CROSS SPAULDINGS

DESCRIPTION: Cross first did the obstacle course and some puzzles, but then he improvised. He requested a sparring partner and, when he entered, proceeded to try to talk him out of fighting. This creative thinking would be helpful both for emotional moments during voting and during challenges.

STRENGTHS: Cross is a very independent thinker. His alliance with the like-minded Lancia will serve them both well.

WEAKNESSES: Cross displays archaic religious beliefs, which is an obvious indicator of ignorance and irrationality.

SCORE: 7

NOTES: It's good to win a fight, but better not to fight. I like it.

* * *

DISTRICT EIGHT FEMALE: ANGORA CHENILLE

DESCRIPTION: Angora focused on survival skills. Perhaps more and perhaps less this year, such things as fire-making, plant gathering, and shelter-making will prove essential. Outside of the sessions, she has been integrating well into her alliance.

STRENGTHS: Mundane but necessary skills will make her hard to let go.

WEAKNESSES: Not as connected as some tribemates.

SCORE: 5

NOTES: Eh, it's good but not enough.

* * *

DISTRICT NINE MALE: DEMETRIUS FIELDS

DESCRIPTION: Demetrius did an assortment of puzzles and activities, but informed us that his more important skills, such as his alliances, were hard to quantify. He was right, and we took that into account by going over the footage of him in the Capitol.

STRENGTHS: Will be a great aid in physical challenges and thus is good to keep around, friendly

WEAKNESSES: Overly nice, lacks ambition

SCORE: 6

NOTES: Hey, you might sneak up on everyone.

* * *

DISTRICT NINE FEMALE: HANNAH DANDELION

DESCRIPTION: Hannah demonstrated speed in her session, but by far the more valuable of her skills is her personality. Without effort or artifice, Hannah easily makes friends and allies. We anticipate she will be the mascot and morality pet of her tribe, and will be voted out with great reluctance.

STRENGTHS: Personality, natural aura

WEAKNESSES: May be easily tricked or blindsided.

SCORE: 6

NOTES: Now _that_ could happen.

* * *

DISTRICT TEN MALE: GAEL ORFORD

DESCRIPTION: Gael went with memory and physical puzzles. He was... not terrible. He is doing similarly outside the session. He has one committed ally, but she is most likely waiting to betray him. The others seem indifferent to him. Gael displays ambition but lacks the confidence to assert himself.

STRENGTHS: One ally, not the first target

WEAKNESSES: One _supposed_ ally, lack of pleasant personality.

SCORE: 4

NOTES: Not gonna happen.

* * *

DISTRICT TEN FEMALE: BAILEY ARROYO

DESCRIPTION: Bailey opted to go through the obstacle course. When she finished, she started a complicated 3-D puzzle. She was unable to finish it in the short time she had left, but she completed a substantial portion.

STRENGTHS: Close connections with many tribemates, unassuming personality.

WEAKNESSES: Less likeable than Hannah. Faults are there but each on its own is too small to mention

SCORE: 8

NOTES: I feel like you're a total wild card. No placing would surprise me.

* * *

DISTRICT ELEVEN MALE: PARKER SPRINGFIELD

DESCRIPTION: Parker was frightened when the lights came on and hid behind a rack of weapons, breaking his silence only to hiss at the Avox we sent in to check on him.

STRENGTHS: Potatoes

WEAKNESSES: Not potatoes

SCORE: 2

NOTES: Potato? Potato.

* * *

DISTRICT ELEVEN FEMALE: RAHINA HERRINGTON

DESCRIPTION: Rahina served herself poorly with her choice of skills. Her work with word puzzles was uninspiring. Outside the session, Rahina has been making a concerted effort to be less prickly and more of a team player.

STRENGTHS: Adaptable, independent

WEAKNESSES: Word puzzles, sour disposition

SCORE: 4

NOTES: Keep going the way you're going and you might get somewhere.

* * *

DISTRICT TWELE MALE: NASH FORGER

DESCRIPTION: Nash also did word puzzles and memory, but it served him to much better effect. He has an obvious and grave handicap in being the youngest and weakest member of Heilala, but this is counteracted by his cuteness factor.

STRENGTHS: Strong allies, protective impulses, not a threat

WEAKNESSES: He's the obvious target. It's going to happen.

SCORE: 6

NOTES: Well that sucks.

* * *

DISTRICT TWELVE FEMALE: ALIARA BAVIER

DESCRIPTION: Aliara demonstrated use of an axe and then showed some survival skills. She did a good job. Her connection with Gael might prove fruitful, but he has to know nothing she does with him is selfless.

STRENGTHS: Not a prime target, willing to fight dirty

WEAKNESSES: Double-cross enough time and it always rebounds.

SCORE: 6

NOTES: Every year needs a villain.

* * *

CLOSING NOTES: Thanks for making our job so hard, brainiac

THEODORA HARP AND HARLEQUIN MARCEAU


	24. Last Three

Cross Spaulding, D8

Lancia and I were the only specific, devoted allies I knew of on Heilala. I thought it would be an advantage, of course, or I wouldn't have offered. I was, however, uneasy about meeting with only Lancia to discuss strategy. The others were bound to think we were plotting, and I didn't want them to feel threatened. As a result, we talked strategy during meals, when it might possibly look like we were just sitting together out of convenience.

"All right. We work together on challenges and do our best to talk each other up without sounding suspicious. If we find anything useful, we tell each other so we can both bring some back to camp. And obviously we don't vote against each other," I said.

"Right," Lancia said. She glanced at me, then at the table, then back at me nervously, then across the room, fiddling with her fingers. We both knew what we were both thinking about. I broke the ice.

"You can vote for whoever you want. I won't judge you or anything. We don't have to tell," I said.

"I have no idea what to do. I guess I'll figure it out when it happens," she said. "What about you?"

"I thought about it. I think the only thing I can do is cast a throwaway vote every time. Since we can't vote for ourselves," I said, not that I was sure I could have done it.

"This must be especially weird for you," Lancia said. "You're one of... those people." She glanced nervously around for invisible cameras.

"Pretty sure I'm already on the hit list. It can't get any worse," I said. "And it's not as bad as it could be. The Bible talks a lot about Jesus loving kids. I always thought all children went to Heaven."

"That's nice," Lancia said.

"It was the only good thing about the Games. Maybe some of them who died wouldn't have gone the same way if they grew up. It's still bad, but it always gave me a little hope," I said.

"That's a nice way to look at it," Lancia said. "I don't know much about that sort of stuff, but I hope you're right."

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6

I wasn't allowed to leave the Games building and run around the Capitol. I also wasn't allowed to run across the banisters, as I discovered after doing so and getting yelled at. I wandered around the training room, but it was hard to get enthusiastic about it. This year, the Games was all about intangible things. Charisma and duplicity and luck weren't things you could learn. Our fates this year were even more sealed than normal. Any action I took could butterfly out in a million different ways, and I had no idea what the chain that led to victory was. More or less, training was a waste of time.

Life was short. Probably a lot shorter than normal, for me. I could spend most likely my last few days on Earth working in the training room for maybe a 1/23 instead of a 1/24 chance, or I could make them mean something. I left the training room behind and explored the Games building, poking into all the stores and seeing where every staircase led (and sliding down an empty staircase once, since no one was there to tell me not to). I tried some weird rainbow soda and bought a shirt just because I'd never in my life bought a brand-new shirt. In short, I lived it up.

After I got back to my room, I took a black marker and lay on the floor with my head squeezed underneath the wardrobe by my bed. I wrote my name on its wooden bottom and wondered if it would ever be discovered, even in a hundred years. I reclined on top of my bed watching a Capitol extreme sports competition on the television that covered nearly an entire wall while idly flipping through the different pictures the window could project.

 _Will the Games be like this too?_ Planning and preparing didn't mean much this time. Anything could happen. All I knew for sure was that I'd be on a tropical island. There would be trees to climb and exotic new fruit to eat, and I would never know what was coming next. Instead of fretting all night and trying to divine the labyrinthine plots of everyone around me, maybe I should just things happen as they happened. If I had no control, I might as well enjoy the ride. Someone would win. It might be me. Otherwise, I would die in paradise.

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3

I was in a bit of a pickle. There wasn't going to be any technology in the Arena. Most years, if the people saw a Tribute could do cool things with it, they'd send wire or batteries or whatever. There were no sponsors this year, and Survivor was a primitive show. I was under strict orders not to take apart my arm for components, under penalty of Titian "popping it off my shoulder and tossing it into the fire to see if it would swell like a marshmallow". He was a strange man.

While I was under orders not to use my arm for its bionics, I was totally allowed to use my arm as an arm. To that end, I crawled into one of the VR pods that usually moldered unused against the wall of the training room. I fiddled around with the buttons and switches until I felt the wires stimulating my brain and the dark interior of the pod brightened into a virtual arena.

The first exercise I'd dialed in was a mutt fight. I'd specified that I wanted one of the monkey mutts from the rainforest Games. They were big enough to do damage, but small enough that I could fight a single one and get detailed info. When the monkey screeched and jumped out of a tree at me, I swung my bionic arm up so it would hit that first. The monkey bounced off initially, then jumped back up and grabbed on. When he chomped down, the metal casing cracked and sparks started to shoot from my arm, which became sluggish and hard to move. I pictured the termination phrase in my head and moved to the next simulation.

Simulation two was an endless rock wall. I was roped in, and I started to climb. At the point where my real arm got tired, my bionic one started to give me trouble. I jumped off the wall and exited the simulation.

The last simulation was the simplest. It was just me and a rock the size of a table. I reared back and punched the rock full blast. My bionic hand glanced off with a thunk, but when I examined my fingers, they were cracked and battered. When I punched again, my hand crumpled and shut itself down with the failsafe that made sure I didn't electrocute myself.

I exited the machine after that. I got what I went in for. As it turned out, and as I'd expected, my arm behaved exactly like a normal arm. In a most annoying use of planned obsolescence and under-utilization of resources, my arm was built to fail at the same point a real arm would. Unfortunately, it meant I couldn't punch through a mountain or go all Darth Vader on someone I didn't like. On the bright side, I still had an arm, and I did appreciate that.

* * *

 **I went ahead and assumed Cross had the same opinion about dead children that I do. I also assumed Star Wars was famous enough to still be remembered. Like we remember Beowulf and that's about one billion years old.**


	25. Interviews

Caesar Flickerman

I was beginning to get this. Really, the children did most of the work. They came in with an angle, and I just magnified it. It was like some guy said about dancing with a woman. Your only job was to show her off to the room.

There was some weird voodoo stuff going down in the Goodwin house, since Charming was the perfect name for... Charming. It was nice to have him first. I got a break before I even started working.

"I already know what it's like to lose someone," Ruby said, and she proceeded to lay down a story none of us saw coming and left us all in tears. "But that just made me stronger." _Okay then, that balanced out Charming._

"Are you worried about being the only Career on your tribe?" I asked Abrexa.

"No, this gives me a chance to show we're not so bad. Especially on our own," she said.

Manny always hesitated an instant before answering my questions. When he talked, it was always oddly smooth, like he'd rehearsed it. I'd seen enough kids to know he had a speech impediment and tailored my questions appropriately.

"I hope there are a lot of physical challenges. I like to move around, and I've been working to make sure I won't let my team down," Ash said.

"Ah yes, I too like to pump the iron," I said, flashing my woefully unpumped irons.

Sparkil looked both sleek and intimidating in her cyborg outfit. It made me wonder why we didn't have more robots running around. We certainly had the technology.

"As you can see, I'm already used to adapting," she said.

"Here's the biggest music lover in Panem," I said to Reefe, who blushed.

"Maybe I did get a little carried away. Too late to worry about that now. I'll do my best, and maybe it will turn out I wasn't rash after all," he said.

"Tell us a little about your history," I asked Jackie.

"I was hoping you'd ask," she said, whipping out a book. "It just so happens I brought my baby book for a luxury item. I wanted to have something adorable to look at."

"My friends drew this for me," Cain said, revealing a picture of him messily killing heaps of Tributes. "They wanted me to show everyone. I'm not really that mean. I promise."

Sammy looked refreshingly un-ornate in a simple red dress. "I've been watching the old shows, and they all had normal people. That's nice, since I am pretty normal," she said.

Lancia was somewhat more formal in a lacy blue dress and silver heels. "I was going to wear my gym suit, but it needed to be washed," she joked.

"Want to see if I can jump over this chair without a running start?" Trent asked. Honestly, I did. He could.

"How are you handling the teams aspect this year?" I asked Sherman.

"I think it could be really good for some of us. I hope I can be a help to my team and then we won't have to worry about voting for people," he said.

"I just flew in here from Seven, and wow my arms are tired!" Camellia said. "Actually I rode a train though," she confessed.

Angora's stylists really went all-out. Her aquamarine, low-backed dress was sprinkled with small jewels that faded nearly imperceptibly into an unadorned flowing skirt.

"I'm going to focus on my team and on being a good player," she said neutrally.

I could hear the ladies (and some men) in the audience oohing over Cross' fine figure in his brown suit. He wasn't my type, personally, but I could see what they were looking at.

"I learned _survival_ skills," he said, trying to make a pun on our inspiration show and falling a little flat. He got a laugh anyway. I can't imagine why.

"It's unfortunate I got chosen, but it's no reason to panic or get mad. I have to keep my head and make the best of it," Deme said. He seemed like a level-headed young man.

I was dreading the moment Hannah came onstage. She looked so much like another girl I remembered. She started crying pretty early in, and I started crying pretty early after that.

"Rumor has it there's someone here you're very fond of," I said to Gael.

"I'm very fond of me," he said.

Bailey wore a red cocktail dress and matching gladiator sandals. "A lot of people think I'm not very strong, but I'm going to see things through until the end," she declared.

Parker wandered the stage, poking at the lights and looking under the chairs. "No dirt," he declared. "Not good for potato. Potato very important."

"I don't want to be here and neither do you," Rahina said. "So why don't you just get this over with?"

"Maybe I _like_ talking with you," I said.

"Then you're dumber than I thought," she said. _Some people._

"I feel like a penguin," Nash said as he squirmed in his suit. "You must get really itchy."

"There's someone at home I really need to get back to. Zelena is my best friend," Aliara said as she showed us a picture.

It was hardly clear what the interviews were for, since we weren't doing sponsors this year. My best guess was that the powers that be wanted everyone to get to know the Tributes a little, since one would be leaving us pretty quick. I wasn't sure what to make of them, since the format made any predictions impossible. For once, I had no idea what to expect.

* * *

 **Angora's dress is pictured here:** thepromdresses DOT com SLASH images SLASH products SLASH secondary SLASH la-fem me-185 32-aquamari ne-2 DOT jpg


	26. Last Day

Sammy Voltage, D5

Heilala was a team. If there was one thing I knew about, it was teams. On a team, you had to make sure every member was included. Some of them might not be very good at the game, but it was still important to make sure they had fun. That included Potato. Camellia and I asked one of the cooks for a bowl of french fries and waited outside his door with the bowl held near the crack so the smell would get through.

When the doorknob twisted a hair, we both crouched down instinctively. Camellia put her hands to her mouth and peeked at me with eager anticipation. The doorknob opened just a little bit more, and Potato's skinny fingers appeared around the door, followed by his eyes peeking out.

"Potatoes," Camellia said. Potato shrank back at the noise but kept his eyes on the bowl. He put out one hand to take it, but I held on. He opened the door a little for a better angle and we sort of crept in behind the bowl as he tugged it inside.

"We just wanted you to know we're glad you're on our team," I said. It was okay to exaggerate a little sometimes if you were being nice. I wasn't _not_ glad he was on our team. He watched us out of the corner of his eye as he set the french fries on a table and started to pick them out.

"See, it says 'potato'," Camellia said, pointing to where we'd written _POTATO_ on the bowl in permanent marker. Potato watched with eagle eyes to make sure her hands didn't get too close to the french fries, but tolerated the speech.

"I told you we couldn't teach him to read in two days," I said.

"Maybe we can teach him one word," she said. She pointed at Potato. "Po-ta-to," she said slowly. "Potato," she said again, pointing at the french fries. "Potato," she said, pointing at the word.

"Potato?" Potato said quizzically, looking at the word. He lifted the bowl to examine it more closely.

"See, he's got it already!" Camellia crowed. Potato flicked his finger against the porcelain bowl, making a soft "donk" noise. He looked at us both like we were completely stupid.

"Pretty hard potato."

* * *

Nash Forger, D12

I had one day left until the Games began. Of course, I wanted to spend it with the two coolest people in the Capitol: Cain and Nubu. We gathered in the Twelve lounge for a pizza party. Aliara could have come if she'd wanted, but she spent almost all her time with Gael. We got every kind of pizza on the menu, even the weird ones like shrimp. Spoiler: shrimp pizza is gross.

"I don't think my Games will be as exciting as yours. Yours had dinosaurs," I said.

"Yeah, that must have been pretty cool," Cain said.

"It was really, really scary. And a little cool," Nubu said.

"Which one was the coolest?" I asked.

"Duh, the T. Rex is the coolest," Cain said.

"The T. Rex _was_ the coolest. I didn't see it, though. The coolest I saw was probably the Stegosaurus. They're even bigger than you think," Nubu said.

"See, we have the best first Victor ever. You're the first, and you also _fought dinosaurs,"_ I said. "It almost makes up for not having any other Victors."

"Sorry I sound like a dad, but I'm glad there won't be any dinosaurs for you," Nubu said.

"It would be okay if there were _little_ dinosaurs," I said. It was a weird experience to be able to eat as much pizza as I wanted. I'd never eaten as much _anything_ as I wanted, and I'd never eaten pizza before ever.

"You just focus on coming home, and I'll see if I can't arrange a dinosaur for you," Nubu said. Then he inhaled some pizza and started coughing.

Nubu and Cain never said anything about not coming home. I was young and all, but I wasn't as little as they thought. I knew what was probably going to happen. It was just hard to think it really _would._ It wouldn't feel real until it happened, and I wasn't going to try to force it. I wasn't that young and I wasn't that dumb.

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr D2

It was hard to keep my spirits up. I was in a game I never wanted to play in the first place and the odds were stacked against me in every way possible. My best hope was to defeat a twelve-year-old in a deathmatch. It was all fun and Games, ghastly pun unintended, if it was a swordfight or a wrestling match. If it was a freaking paper airplane contest, it was a crapshoot. My blasted gravestone might read "Abrexa James, Jr. Failed Career. Killed by a twelve-year-old in a paper airplane contest."

I should have stuck to my guns. I was strong enough to beat out every other girl in the Academy. I should have been strong enough to choose my own life. I went into this to please my glory-leech family members, but what did that matter? Dead is dead. The grave doesn't care if you were a good daughter. In all likelihood, my mother would be more happy to have a live washout than a dead failure. The fact that I wasn't sure about that meant she wasn't even someone I should waste time trying to please. Once I let that go, there was no reason at all for me to be here.

 _This must be what it's like to be an outlier._ The hopelessness, the horrid chance of it all, the knowledge that everything is against you. I'd never looked forward to hunting them and that just made me feel worse. It eased my conscience that at least the fight was even this time. Each of us had one vote. I couldn't do any more damage to someone else than they could do to me.

None of the others wanted me. They were happy to have someone strong to win a few challenges, but they didn't like me. Hannah and the others tolerated me and even smiled when I went by, but there was nothing to indicate there was any welcome for me. I wasn't sitting around crying about it like the last girl picked in gym, but I recognized what it meant for my chances.

My strategies wouldn't work either. If I was going to stay alive, I needed to do something entirely unexpected. Ironically, a Career winning would be the biggest upset in years.

* * *

 **I didn't feel like doing one of these, but then I did. Next up is the tubes!**


	27. Launchpad

Blake Armani, D1 Mentor

It was weird to see my two Tributes off from a normal hovercraft landing pad on the roof of the Games center. They weren't going to start fighting right away this time, so there was no need for anyone to be panicked or intense. No one really knew what to expect. I just kind of waved them off and wished them good luck.

* * *

Pray Jager, D2 Mentor

Abrexa got a raw deal, and I hoped she could get past that. For once, even I wouldn't blame her if she died. The boy didn't rate a mention. I didn't look at him, and as he boarded the plane, I spat at his feet. I hoped the Twelve boy killed him. You don't screw with the Academy.

* * *

Acee Hal, D3 Mentor

Things didn't look good for Ashton. There was nothing wrong with him. There just also wasn't anything right with him. He was the noble gas of the Tribute world. Sparkil was one of my better chances at success in a while. She thought a lot like me, and that worked out pretty well in my Games.

* * *

Shane Donegal, D4 Mentor

"So, uh... it's not your fault. I did this myself. You can just kind of pretend this year didn't happen," Reefe said. If only it was that easy.

* * *

Careen Ellis, D4 Mentor

Jackie could win. She could also be the first to die. There wasn't much I could tell her or warn her about. This wasn't going to go down in history as one of the better Games.

* * *

Erwin Jackson, D5 Mentor

Cain wouldn't be the first to go. He would probably be the second.

* * *

Sky Levings, D5 Mentor

I didn't want to tell Sammy how much I hoped she would win. She had what it took this year. If I told her, I was afraid she'd try to live up to my expectations and I'd end up killing her. That, and I didn't want to make it seem more real by telling anyone.

* * *

Toby Cash, D6 Mentor

The girl still didn't seem to like me. The boy hardly seemed to notice I was there. The most interesting thing was being on the roof. The sky was very blue.

* * *

Paul Olson, D7 Mentor

Sherman and Camellia seemed like long shots, but if there was every any time for a long shot to win, it was now.

* * *

Tillo Peters, D8 Mentor

I hardly even believed there were people like Cross anymore. I'd only ever dealt with the weirdos. It was nice to see someone was still doing it right. Me, I didn't hardly know what to think. I believed in the man up top and trusted him to sort out the rest. Cross had nothing to lose, so the only one at risk was Angora. As usual, I did my best not to get invested. I won without a mentor. She could too.

* * *

Nassor Doyle, D9 Mentor

I was out of my league as a mentor. All I knew was egghead stuff. If Hannah won, it would be by being nice. If Deme did, it would be by being nice and strong. I didn't know anything about either of those things. I felt like a failure, but it was up to them.

* * *

Bambi Kirkland, D10 Mentor

Gael was somewhat of an odd duck. I didn't think I cared for the callous way he treated his tribemates. It was every man for himself in the Games, but he didn't have to be so cold about it. I couldn't judge anyone, but it still unsettled me.

* * *

Calvary Warsaw, D10 Mentor

Bailey wasn't the sort of person I'd be friends with in normal life. That was no insult to her character- _I_ was the prickly one. She was more outgoing and friendly than I was. In this case, that was a good thing. This year, she would have outlived me.

* * *

Frankie Disney, D11 Mentor

Rahina was a very angry young woman. She made me glad I was nearly always emotionless. Potato was just a piece of work. He made me look sane.

* * *

Nubu Sanders, D12 Mentor

I felt guilty about being closer to Nash than Aliara. I wanted to do my best for both of them, but Nash was just easier to connect to. Aliara was a girl, and she came from a different place in life than I did. It would be equally hard to watch them die, though.

* * *

 **I suppose the next chapter won't be as exciting as usual, since they just land on an island and get out.**


	28. Day One

Hannah Dandelion, D9

It was surreal to be riding in a hovercraft instead of rising up through a tube. I could see out the windows to the water below. It was more than I'd ever seen in my life, and I guessed we were probably off the coast of Panem. Hardly anyone in the country ever got to see that. It almost made the Games worth it. Some of us- mostly Careers- were talking, but most of us were just watching out the windows at the once-in-a-lifetime sight.

There wasn't going to be a Bloodbath, but I was still scared. I kept thinking it was a horrible trick, and they just said that so we wouldn't run and more of us would die. The hovercraft dipped lower toward a sandy beach, and its backwash covered the unbelievably blue-green water with choppy ripples. Making everything even weirder was the elephant in the room. Titian was sitting at the back of the hovercraft bay so we were all arranged around him. We were all scared to look at him, but when I peeked, he looked like this was going to be just the best thing ever. And for him, it might have been.

"Let's go," he said when the hovercraft touched sand. Everyone swerved to look at him at once- the Careers out of deference for a Capitolite, and the rest of us out of fear he would shoot us if we did anything wrong. I pulled at my seat belt and it clicked free. I got in line with the others and we all jumped out one after another for our first look at the island.

The sun was so bright it hurt to look at the beach. There was soft whitish sand that stopped at a line of palm trees bordering a thick forest. It was hotter than summer back home, and the air smelled like salt and fruit. It was like nothing I'd ever seen or heard before.

I looked down and saw I'd stepped onto a red mat marked _Fonu_ and decorated with a turtle without even noticing it. Bailey was next to me, and we held hands as Titian addressed us.

"Welcome to Hunger Games: Survivor," he said. "For the next few weeks, you twenty-four will embark on the greatest adventure of your lives. You will compete in challenges that will test you physically and mentally. Each week, the losing tribe will meet at Tribal Council, where two of you will be voted out. Those two will immediately undergo a sudden death challenge, which I assure is _exactly_ what it sounds like. At the end, there will be one Survivor."

* * *

Reefe Mordecai, D4

Titian went on to explain a few more basics to us. We weren't supposed to seek the other tribe out between challenges, but it was all right if we happened to cross paths. We'd be stationed in separate camps, each of which came supplied with a well containing water we would have to boil. The first challenge would be tomorrow, giving us one day to construct a camp and prepare. At the end of the speech, he tossed both teams a map written on a scroll and pointed us toward our destination.

It wasn't hard to find. The map was clearly marked and the island wasn't terribly big. We quickly reached a cleared-out portion of forest with a stone well. None of us had said anything on the short trip over, since we were all gathering our thoughts and getting ready to put our plans into action. Once we reached camp, the discussion began.

"Obviously, the most important thing is a shelter. Let's start working on that," Charming said. "Does anyone know anything about building?"

"Sometimes our roof leaks and I fix it," Deme volunteered.

"I think we should weave the roof," Angora said. "That makes fabric stronger. Does that sound good?" she asked Deme.

"Yeah, we can use these skinny leaves," Deme said, pointing at some trees.

"I can get us some logs for the walls," I said. I wanted to be sure I volunteered for the hardest work right away. My best chance was to prove useful around camp. If I worked like a dog, people might like not having to do the heavy lifting.

"Why don't we have me, Reefe, Ruby and Jackie get the logs, since we're the strongest," Charming said. Everyone agreed, and we set out into the woods. I found the heaviest log I could lift and dragged it back into camp, insisting I didn't need any help. I wasn't stupid, though- after the first, I got normal-sized branches and added them to our pile.

"I found a good spot," Trent said when we got back. He showed us four trees growing in a rough square. Lancia brought us some vines and we started lashing four of the stoutest branches to the trees to make a frame. Angora and Cross threaded the other branches together around the frame to form the walls, and Camellia and Sammy wove the roof under Deme's guidance. Potato imitated the girls and generally didn't make things worse. Our first day was off to a rousing start.

* * *

Gael Orford, D10

We might have been more organized if we'd had a leader. We weren't arguing, but no one really knew where to start.

"We need a shelter," Bailey pointed out. It was obvious, but it still needed to be stated.

"Should we make a tipi or something?" Ash asked.

"I think a lean-to would be the easiest," Manny said.

"What do you think, Sherman?" Aliara asked. "You're from Seven."

"I just cut them down. I don't build with them," he said.

"Let's find a good spot to start with," Cain said. We started to wander around the camp, discussing ideas and examining the ground. Abrexa split off into the forest and came back dragging a log.

"Where'd you go?" Hannah asked.

"Whatever we build, we'll need wood. I'll get some," she said.

"I can help!" Nash said, running to her side. She smiled thinly.

"Oh boy," she said. At least they were doing something, though.

"This looks like a good spot," I said, pointing at a stretch of sand between two trees.

"Why?" Sparkil asked, but she wasn't challenging. She was just interested.

"It's flat, it's open, it just looks okay," I shrugged. "We have to pick somewhere and get started, so why not there?"

"I think it looks good," Aliara said. We took one of Abrexa's logs and tied it across the trees with some vines, then started laying her sticks across it in a tent shape.

"I'll get some leaves for the roof," Abrexa said. I could tell by the way she stumbled up the tree that she had no experience climbing, but she didn't let it stop her from getting the leaves. As she tossed down the leaves, Bailey and Hannah wove them between the sticks. I joined Rahina in clearing debris away from our tent. We were off to a late start, but the night was still young.

* * *

Sammy Voltage, D3

As most of us dispersed to find food, I asked Camellia if she'd help me get some sticks.

"What for? We have plenty," she said.

"I have an idea," I said. We grabbed two armloads of sticks and some dry crispy leaves to use as tinder. Potato, who had taken to following us around, gathered sticks as soon as he saw us do it.

When we got back to camp, Lancia looked at us askance from where she stood fine-tuning our shelter. "You got sticks?" she asked.

"We sure did," I said.

"Why though?" she asked. Our shelter was pretty much done. It stood about six feet high and the roof and walls were snugly covered with leaves. The inside didn't look too comfy, but sleeping in sand wasn't terrible.

"We have a lovely bag of rice there," I said, pointing to the bag that held about a cup of rice for each of us, "but it's gonna taste gross raw."

"Yeah?" Lancia asked. "I saw some tapes. The first challenge usually gives away fire stuff as the prize.

"Yeah, but what if we don't win?" I asked.

"That's a pessimistic way to look at it," she said.

"On the contrary, I am being most _optimistic,"_ I said. "Because it just so happens that I wear contact lenses." I poinked a finger at my eye and took out the curved piece. "We couldn't afford the new ones, so mine are plastic."

"Ohhhh," Lancia said. She came and crouched next to me and Camellia as I held the lens over the tinder, trying to focus the light. After a few minutes, Camellia impatiently stuck her hand underneath.

"It's a little hot," she reported.

"We have time," I said.

The others wandered off eventually. The sun dipped lower in the sky, and my legs burned from squatting. Some long hours later, as the others started to trickle back to camp carrying fruit, I got some smoke. Just maybe, in a few more hours when Jackie and Reefe came from from fishing, we'd have a fire.

* * *

 **Other important info: Fonu also has fire, thanks to Sparkil's magnifying glass. Titian is grumbling about his first prize being ruined but refuses to change it out of stubbornness.**

 **Voting starts after next chapter, which will be the first challenge. I don't have an exact system for who wins challenges, but I will take into account the strengths of the team as well as making sure one tribe doesn't get steamrolled.**


	29. First Challenge

Manny Guerrero, D2

Fonu's first night was... tolerable. Our shelter's low roof made it impossible to sit up, and a light rain throughout the night tapped at the leaves, dripped through occasionally, and made Sparkil run out to cover the fire. We were squished together so close every movement moved us all, and pride went out the window over a surprisingly cool night. None of us got much sleep, and I was sure everyone else was as sore as I was when we got up.

Breakfast was a humble affair. Rahina, being from Eleven, was a natural climber, and she knocked down a bunch of coconuts and pretended to enjoy sharing them. Most of us had never had one, and it was a novel experience.

"It's like... eating the beach!"Bailey said. Nash grabbed two halves and stuffed them down his shirt.

"Ha, I'm a girl!" he said, dancing around and kicking out his feet. Hannah snorted into her shell and set it down to laugh.

The Anthem played, letting us know it was time to go to the challenge. There was a dirt path leading from our camp, marked with a sign just in case we were stupid. We followed the trail and came out in a huge dirt clearing. Titian was waiting for us, wearing a green t-shirt, khaki shorts, and a stupid baseball hat.

"What's his damage?" Aliara whispered to Sparkil. Luckily, he didn't hear.

"Good morning, tribes! Are you ready for your first immunity challenge?" Titian asked.

"Yes!" some of us chorused, loudly enough for the others to slack off. Titian pointed behind himself to the two rows of giant stone blocks on top of wooden rollers. Beyond them, there were twin pyramids, one red for Heilala and one green for Fonu.

"Here's how it works. On my go, each tribe will push four blocks along a track to meet the base of a temple. You'll then run up the steps, where one person will use an axe to chop a series of ropes, releasing another set of steps. You'll then make your way to the top, where you will race to complete a block puzzle, completing your temple. First tribe to get it right wins immunity. The other goes to tribal council, where two members will be voted out and one will be the first to be eliminated." He reached into his pocket and made a sour face.

"In addition, the winning team wins fire in the form of flint. I am _sure_ this will be most _exciting_ for you," he said through gritted teeth. "I'll give you a minute to strategize."

One minute later, he gave us the signal.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

At the sound of the signal, I shot forward at the blocks. Trent was the first to reach them, but when I threw my weight behind one of the handles set into the side, the block started to lurch forward. I leaned forward and pushed like a bull, glancing sideways every now and then to see how Fonu was comparing. Titian stood on the sidelines narrating for the audience.

"Heilala has an early lead! Fonu has to pick up the pace," he said. It was clear we had an advantage. The three Careers on our tribe were in peak physical condition, and I was used to carrying heavy loads of grain. We made our way along the track a good ten feet in front of our competition.

We got through a bottleneck when our first block reached the temple. It was the heaviest, and the others were easy. We shot ahead of Fonu, straining even harder when they started to catch up after completing their first block. As we started to climb our assembled stairs, Fonu was just starting their final block.

"Camellia!" Charming yelled, pointing up at the ropes.

"I'm a _whittler!"_ she yelled back, but she grabbed the axe anyway and started flailing at the ropes like a broken corn picker. Despite her lack of grace, each strike broke one rope. Eight strikes later, we were climbing the next flight of stairs as Fonu struggled to push their block the last few feet.

"Heilala with a _big_ lead!" Titian cheered as we started to assemble the puzzle. The pieces looked impossibly heavy, but they turned out to be made of foam. I had no idea what we were supposed to do, but I'd done my part. I heaved pieces out of the way so the Tributes who knew how to do puzzles could work.

"You want to see the pattern on the outside and the solid colors on the inside," Titian narrated, which at least gave me a clue. Jackie and Ruby started assembling puzzle pieces faster than I could think. I mostly served as a set of hands, and I had time to watch Fonu as I helped. Sherman had just started laying into the ropes.

"There it is! They have it!" Titian cheered, telling us Fonu was about to start their puzzle. I had a horrible vision that they would fly through it and our huge lead would have been for nothing, making it look like my contribution was worthless. I turned to watch them for an instant and saw Ash sliding in pieces like he had the answer right in front of him.

"Heilala wins immunity!" Titian yelled. I turned back as my team started to cheer and throw up their hands. Before I could react, Angora threw herself into my arms and hugged me as she squealed.

 _We won... I think._ I was so overwhelmed I hardly knew what happened, but I was glad I had helped.

* * *

Aliara Bavier, D12

We were silent again on the way back to camp. Most of us were staring like zombies, and Hannah was sniffling quietly. Without anyone saying anything, we gathered in a circle around our fire.

"Good job, everyone," Cain said. "This is nothing to be ashamed of."

"I don't care about looking stupid. I just don't want to go to tribal council," Ash said.

"It's not that bad," Bailey said, hopelessly putting on a smile like saying it would make it true.

"Easy for you to say. People like you," Rahina said.

"Maybe we'd like you too if you gave us a chance," Bailey said.

"I don't need anyone," Rahina said.

"I think that's pretty much the point of tribal council," Bailey said. Rahina muttered something and Bailey refused to keep arguing.

"How do you want to go about this?" Sparkil asked. She was about the only one who didn't need to be scared. Losing a Tribute meant losing their luxury item. Until we won a challenge, it would be nice to keep that magnifying glass.

"This is a personal decision," Gael said. "We all have our own reasons, and that's the way it is. It's hardly any use discussing it. We'll all lie." No one argued.

"Nothing I say would make a difference anyway," Abrexa said. "I'm going to go do some fishing." She got up. Others got up after her, until we spread throughout the camp.

When Gael got up, I followed after him. We went out to a quiet part of the woods and found a log to sit on.

"Any ideas?" I asked.

"Nash had the most trouble pushing the blocks. He also doesn't have any compelling reason for us to keep him around," he said. "But he's also not a threat. Maybe we should use this chance to get rid of a real threat."

"Honestly, a 'real threat' wouldn't be Abrexa. She can stay around for weeks and still not have any allies," I said. We continued to discuss it long into the night. For the first night at least, I didn't have much to be worried about. There were two or three people on the chopping block, and none of them was me. To make things even better, if I stayed with Gael, our influence doubled.

* * *

 **Tribal council coming up next! If your Tribute is in Fonu, send in your votes whenever you want. I'll write the council tomorrow evening after everyone gets a chance. It is definitely allowed to send messages between each other and confer. It is also allowed to tell someone you're voting one way and vote a different way. I won't be doing confessions unless someone indicates they want their vote public.**

 **META NOTE: I'll be watching Survivor throughout to preserve the theme. This story is based in particualr on season 22 (Redemption Island) since the redemption island format is closest to my sudden death challenges. To see exactly what this challenge looked like, see episode 1. I'll be taking prize and challenge inspiration from the season, but I'm also taking prize and challenge suggestions from you. Specifically ones from Survivor, but I'll also look at originals.**


	30. First Tribal Council

**Wow, long chapter this time! Also, I updated the Tribute list with submitters so you can better make alliances.**

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3

The only real alliance on Fonu was Gael and Aliara. The rest of us were a loosely grouped tribe of associates and peer groups. By nature more than organization, I often grouped myself with the other girls my age, but we didn't have any set plans or votes. I suspected most of us would vote for Abrexa, but there was one glaring flaw with that path. Even if all of us voted for Abrexa, there would still be someone else left to fight her. Abrexa, knowing this would likely happen, would simply vote for someone she knew she could beat. For anyone else, that would be Nash, but Abrexa didn't have to aim that low. She could pick just about anyone. The only people she might not want to take the risk over were Rahina or Manny, Manny for his personal grudge and Rahina for her more universal one. Voting out Abrexa, then, came with a great deal of risk, and none of us knew who the target was.

Me, I was keeping my cards to myself, but I wasn't voting Abrexa. Having made my decision, I wandered the camp trying to pick up on what other people were deciding. Every time I heard a voice, I felt a shiver run down my back at the thought that I might possibly hear my name. Aliara and Manny were sitting by the fire. I huddled behind a tree and peeked out at them unnoticed.

"He's not going to win though," Manny said. At the sound of the pronoun, I relaxed. They might have been saying whoever it was _wasn't_ their pick, but it still felt good to know it was someone else.

"He's going to go eventually. We have to get rid of him so the tribe is stronger. Otherwise we'll keep losing," Aliara insisted. They kept talking, and Manny started to come around to her way of thinking. Two of the votes, at least, weren't for me. Neither was mine, of course. If they had ever mentioned who they were voting for, I might have done the same to protect myself, but I was afraid to join them in case the very act turned them against me. I knew they weren't talking about the same person I was voting for. I knew hardly more than when I began. I'd know a lot more after Tribal Council.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

When the first three notes of the Anthem sounded, we all went silent as a funeral. The rest wouldn't play until after, when it became a eulogy for one of us. We huddled together as we walked the narrow trail, seeking safety in numbers even though numbers would be what killed us.

When we reached the tribal council clearing, we were greeted by a ring of log benches around a fire. Twelve torches were stuck into the fire, none of them lit. Titian stood by the fire to greet us.

"Good evening, Fonu, and welcome to your first tribal council. Everyone, please take a torch and light it. In this game, fire represents life. As long as your torch is lit, you remain in the game. Before we vote, we have time for a light discussion. Some of you may have important information to disclose, or perhaps an argument to sway the votes. Anyone?" he asked. We were all quiet. Of course, he couldn't have expected anything else.

"All right, I'll start us off. You had a hard day today in the challenge. What happened?" he asked.

"We just weren't as strong," I said. "They had more Careers."

"We'll do better if it's more about puzzles next time," Nash said.

"Is there anyone you blame for this loss?" Titian asked.

"Come off it. We're not giving you your drama," Rahina spat.

Rahina was really strong. We would have won if we'd all been like her," Hannah said. Everyone murmured in agreement, more to spite Titian than to praise Rahina. The lines on Titian's face started to gather in peevishness, so that his face looked distorted in the fire light.

"All right, let's get to the vote. One by one, you will walk across the clearing and take a sheet of paper," he said, pointing to a stack of papers on a stump. "Write down your vote and place it in the urn next to the stump. Once you've voted, I will read the votes. The votes are final. The two Tributes with the lowest votes will immediately enter a sudden death duel. The loser will be eliminated, and the winner will return to the tribe without harm but surely not without resentment."

At the head of the circle, Bailey went first. We went clockwise after that, with me going after Gael. When I reached the stump, I found a permanent marker on top of the papers. It seemed an appropriate tool for such a permanent decision. The cap popped lightly as I pulled it off. I wrote down a name and hoped for forgiveness.

* * *

Nash Forger, D12

I sat by Cain as Titian moved the urn to the center of the ring.

"Once again, the votes are final," he said. He took out a sheet of paper, and it was the Reaping all over again. "Our first vote is for Rahina." Rahina sucked her teeth and glared at the fire. Titian took out another sheet. "Our second vote is for Manny." Manny looked down and nodded.

"Nash," came the next vote. I looked up sharply and then looked at Cain, who scooted closer to me. " _Ash,"_ Titian said, enunciating so we wouldn't mishear. "Abrexa. Ash." My heart leaped again, then settled when I realized the missing letter. "Nash." My chest tightened, and I hoped I didn't cry in front of everyone. "Aliara. Gael*. Bailey*." I held my breath. The next vote decided my fate. If it was me, there was only one vote left. I would definitely go in, since the worst someone else could do was tie my two votes. If it was someone else, I had a chance.

"Nash*." The world went all far away, and I wondered if I would faint. I clung to the last vote, knowing it was too late for me but clinging to the extra few minutes a tie would bring me.

"Ash*." It was decided, then. It was me and Ash. Our eyes met over the fire. I wasn't crying yet, but Ash was. He didn't look scared, just horrified. I could tell he wanted to say something, but he looked away instead. It was hard to breathe, and I couldn't seem to think of anything but Titian.

"Will Nash and Ash please join me? Everyone else, please follow along," Titian said. He led us away from the clearing a short distance into another clearing, this one generously lit with torches and a fire pit. There were two matching walls made of bamboo, more like fences than true walls. A dividing wall was between them. On the other side, there were six skinny podiums with wooden rings hanging off pegs. On our side of the walls, there were two piles of bamboo sticks and two tangles of twine. The walls were underneath a heavy wooden canopy. Titian cleared his throat and we turned.

"At my go, you will both attempt to retrieve the keys hanging from the podiums. You will use the sticks and twine to construct a pole to retrieve the keys. If you drop the keys before you get them through the wall, you must try again with the other keys. Whoever retrieves their key first remains in the game. The loser is eliminated. I'll give you a minute to get into position and strategize," he said.

There wasn't enough time in the world to get ready. I couldn't imagine thinking about keys and sticks when I was minutes away from death. But time and Titian waited for no man. Instants later, he gave the signal.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

I couldn't do it. I couldn't complete the challenge if it meant killing Nash. Anyone but Nash, I might have been able to do it. I could even do it if I couldn't see him. With him right next to me, it was impossible.

 _He's not there,_ I told myself. I turned away so I couldn't see any glimpse of the little boy already fumbling with the sticks. _It's someone else. It's Abrexa,_ I thought. Abrexa I could beat without guilt. I filled my mind with an image of Abrexa and started tying my sticks together.

It wasn't difficult to make the pole. I yanked the knots tight with all my strength, channeling my fear into forceful pulls. When I had three of them tied, I snaked the pole through the wall toward the rings. Using my peripherals but being careful not to see the other competitor, I saw the other pole already nudging at a key ring. My heart skipped, but then the pole faltered. The other Tribute pulled the pole back to reinforce it, and I stuck mine out at the keys. I lifted them off the pole and riveted my eyes on them as I gently pulled the pole back, even while my heart screamed at me to go faster.

It didn't matter either way. The stick on the end dipped suddenly, and the keys slid off. I whimpered, though I only realized it later. I checked the corner of my vision and saw the other pole already snaking back out. It trembled, and I shoved mine out as the other slid back in.

The keys danced and shimmered at the end of my pole as I tried to lift them up even as my pole started to wiggle. I knew I should pull it back in and fix it, but emotion overruled logic. I jerked the pole up and by some miracle, it held. The keys slid down into the middle, where the leverage meant less pressure on the end of the pole. I hauled it in hand over fist, hyperventilating at the thought that the other pole might already be through the wall and too terrified to look.

"Ash has his keys! Ash has won the duel!" Titian yelled. I couldn't suppress the reflex, and my eyes went up to seek out the other Tribute. The others, all spellbound into silence, screamed as one.

As I looked up, a trapdoor sprang down out of the canopy above the other Tribute. It smashed into the figure and pinned it against the bamboo wall. We all knew the danger when we saw the movement, but none of us saw the massive spikes until they punched through the body and rivers of blood shot out of the ruined body. The keys fell from my hands, and I couldn't take my eyes away from the cold, gaping gaze of my competitor.

It wasn't Abrexa that was standing against the wall, spikes jutting from her body and her face pressed into the bars. Nash was the one staring at me, a crooked pole still dangling from his hand. Abrexa wasn't the one I killed.

* * *

 **I went for some nice mood whiplash this time. I took the challenge from Redemption Island, except Survivor didn't have the spike wall of death. I got enough votes to know who to send, but I didn't get all twelve. In the interest of not making the chapter read funny, I distributed the rest among people who had no votes against them. Votes marked with an asterisk are the fill-ins. They won't be mentioned by Tributes and are the same as if they never happened. They don't count for statistics-oriented readers.**

 **24th place: Nash Forger, D12- Hit by spike wall**

 **I recognize I do have some more power in this voting Games. You vote for two, and I write the death matches. The deaths will obviously be influenced by the challenges, which I will be arranging so there's variety and suspense. I could simply always kill the one with more votes, but that would ruin the suspense. As a result, I will be using a couple of factors, such as challenges, skills, and suspense. Popularity will remain a huge factor, but I might possibly kill the one with fewer votes sometimes. This time I picked Nash, though the votes were tied, because I knew he would die eventually and his death will make the tribes more evenly matched, paving the way for Fonu to win more challenges.**

 **Nash was a cool dude. I think we all knew he wouldn't win, but we were all hoping. It was the obvious choice to pick him first. I'm sure no one liked it, but they wanted Fonu to win challenges so there wouldn't be more tribal councils. He had a good time in the Capitol, and he knew this was coming. It's always hardest when the twelve-year-olds die, for everyone involved. Thanks for Nash, guy I have written down in story but not in my file. He wasn't overly cute or overly innocent. He was just a kid.**

 **Speaking of challenges, I will be laying them out so both tribes get breaks. Realistically Heilala would dominate with three Careers, one half-trained volunteer, and big strong Demetrius, but I don't want the poor peeps on Fonu to get pounded. I might scramble the order to maintain suspense, but challenges will be pretty much evenly split.**

 **I suppose you're wondering about the glaring mistake in this chapter. If you came late enough, I corrected it, but those who came early saw that I said the votes were for Ash and Nash and then bizarrely had Manny fighting instead of Ash. The problem came about from me setting up the POV order in my head in order to preserve the suspense. When I realized I messed up and needed an Ash POV instead of Manny, I was still stuck in my Manny mindset and switched the names! I'm just thanking my lucky stars I didn't kill him and have to retcon an entire chapter. Sorry about that and I think we can all be sure I'll proofread a little more carefully now.**


	31. Between Challenges

**I was going to go straight into the next challenge, but I didn't want to rush things. On the other hand, doing one challenge every two chapters will make this thing about 70 chapters long, so some will probably be back-to-back.**

* * *

Cain Pander, D5

It was so much worse than a Bloodbath. I had to sit on a bench watching Nash fight for his life, too stunned and terrified to move a muscle or cheer him on. I didn't even blink as I watched the duel, so I saw it all when it ended. Nash never even saw it coming. Even the rest of us had more warning than he did.

They actually did it. I knew he was the weakest, but I'd prayed the lack of threat would outweigh that. The others just threw him away- just jettisoned him like dead weight. Now we were all looking at his staring eyes, his eyes that looked right to our hearts and seemed to know exactly who voted for him.

"The tribe has spoken," Titian said. He walked to the fire and grabbed a single torch, dousing it ina bucket of water. The flame hissed as it went out, and he tossed the charred stick at Nash's feet. "Grab your torches and head back to camp. Good night." He stood by the smoldering fire as he watched us leave, his arms held behind his back and a pleased expression on his face.

I must not have blinked on the way back, either, since my eyes stung when we reached camp. Hannah and Bailey held each other and trembled as they got into our shelter. Gael poked at the embers of our fire to rekindle it, and Rahina angrily threw a coconut shell into the woods.

"Who voted for him?" I demanded. No one anwered.

"Who voted for him?!" I repeated. My gaze fell on Rahina and she glared at me.

"What, because I'm the bitch? I didn't vote for the half-pint," she said.

"Then who was it?" I asked again, looking from one Tribute to another. The only one whose guilt was obvious was Ash.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't want to do it."

"It's not your fault they voted for you," I said, and then the thought came. "Unless you voted for him." Ash's face crumpled and he fled into the woods. No matter which way he voted, I couldn't make him feel any worse than he already did. He might even have been in more pain than I was.

* * *

Jackie Hawkins, D4

It was hard to get fish without any real equipment. At home we could jury-rig things out of bits of wire and metal, but all I had here was sticks. _All_ I had was sticks- I didn't have anything to sharpen them with or to weight them so they had enough heft to slice through the water and pierce a fish. Obviously, I was going to have to get creative.

Fishing was kind of a thing in Four. We used hooks, we used nets, we used spears, and sometimes we even used otters. The single weirdest method I'd ever heard about came from my mother. I'd been convinced she was pulling my leg until she demonstrated. I crouched by the edge of the water next to a little rocky overhang, just like she'd shown me. I slid a hand under the water into the cool shade underneath the rock, my fingers brushing the stone. They came into contact with something smooth and sleek, and I knew I'd found a fish taking shelter from the sun. I curled a finger and rubbed the tail gently, hoping the fish wouldn't dart away. When it didn't, I worked my way up the fish's body, "tickling" it, like my mom called it. For whatever reason, it made fish go into a weird trance. The fish stayed still until my hand was right behind its head. At that point, I grabbed onto it and jerked my hand out of the water, spiking the flopping fish against the ground and then stunning it with a rock. I wrapped it in a banana leaf and got up to look for another overhang.

It was good to be a provider. Without me and Reefe, the others would be eating nothing but rice and fruit. There was plenty of fruit on the island, but it was hard to get full of such light food. A good, fat fish really perked you up. Strong, full Tributes were more likely to win challenges. So far it had worked, anyway. At first I'd been afraid Charming and Ruby would look down on me and Reefe. Reefe wasn't a full Career, and I didn't seem to be as gung-ho as the others. Despite that, we had a nice Career alliance going on. The others must have calculated that gathering together against anti-Career bias was the only way to stick around.

I was actually sort of enjoying the Games. I had a lot more control over my fate with the voting element, and I didn't have to keep up my guard every second in case an arrow came flying in out of nowhere and killed me. I only had to be nervous sometimes, and with my skills, I didn't have to be nervous much at all.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

Eventually the others would vote me out, and it would be for my attitude. They wanted the nice, happy people to win- the ones with cute smiles and bright eyes. They were a bunch of hypocrites. They wanted to keep the nice, happy people around, but they didn't want them to win. We all wanted to arrange it so everyone else died and we were the only ones left. They looked at me like I was a selfish schemer just in it for myself. And I was, just like all of them. I was just more honest about it.

They probably thought I was alone in the woods because I didn't like them. I _didn't_ like them, but that wasn't why I was in the woods. I was just looking for fruit. It was slim pickings getting by on rice and coconuts. I was used to it, but some of us were softer. It wouldn't do to have a bunch of hungry, weak tribemates during the next challenge. I wasn't sure how I'd slipped by with only one vote last time. There wouldn't be someone weak enough to take my place next time.

There were all sorts of fruit trees in the woods, some I recognized and some I didn't. I skipped the coconut trees, since we already had plenty of those. They were a pain in the butt to open, and the meat inside wasn't all that filling. You had to eat about a dozen before you got anywhere, and I was afraid of what that would do to the latrine we'd dug behind our camp.

I'd been hoping for banana trees, but what I found was even better. In front of me stood a squat plant halfway between a bush and a tree. Oval-shaped orange and green fruits hung off it in thick clusters. I'd only ever seen them once before in my life. About ten years ago, Frankie won the second Resurrection Games. For weeks there were parties and parades in Eleven, and we couldn't walk down the street without bumping into someone from the Capitol. Every day there were huge feasts in the town square, and even urchins like me were invited. It was there I tasted the best food in the entire world: mangoes.

I yanked a fruit off the tree and bit into it. It was just as good as I'd remembered. It was sharp and full-flavored and almost bitter, but in the best way possible. It tasted so good I almost forgot how mad I was about being stuck on an island with a bunch of people who wanted to kill me. I even decided I should share with them. Mostly because they would be less likely to vote me out, but it was something.

* * *

 **I decided to do an immunity idol! The Tributes aren't looking because it's a surprise for them, but you all can look for it. I wasn't sure how to do it without favoring someone, so I decided to "hide" it somewhere around the world and give you the clues. I'll do one roughly every round, but we all know I'll forget some. First person to guess the answer gets the immunity idol for their Tribute (they hold it, but you can use it on anyone you want)**

 **First clue: If you want an idol now or later, start your search below the Equator.**


	32. Second Challenge

**Looks like chapters in this story will be longer than usual, or at least the challenges will. I have to have the opening speech and take some time to describe the challenge mechanics, so it makes sense.**

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6

The Anthem played after the cannon last night, but there was no face in the sky. We all wondered what it meant, but most of us were too nervous to speculate.

Even with the shelter and the fire, it was a cold, uncomfortable night. I woke up stiff all over and feeling like I hadn't gotten to sleep yet. Most of us spent half the night awake, either shifting to relieve the pressure from the hard sand or scooting closer to or farther away from the other warm bodies. The only one who didn't have any trouble was Potato, who sacked out by himself outside the shelter and went straight to sleep. I hesitated to think what his life before must have been like.

Jackie and Reefe had caught three fish, and Cross prepared them so they could keep working. He slit open their bellies, scooped their guts out, filled the cavity with boiled rice, and spit-roasted them over our fire. It was long, slow work, since we had to use coconuts for rice pots and they burst into flames if we didn't watch them every second.

"This is the way we made everything back home. You take a dish, stuff it full of rice or potatoes, add sour cream, and then add all your other stuff. We call it hot dish," Cross said as he laid the fish out on a banana leaf.

"It breaks all apart," Camellia said as she poked at her portion. Reefe and Jackie, who had rejoined the group for breakfast, swooped in to explain.

"Fish are softer than land animals," Reefe said.

"Is there much current in the water?" Lancia asked. "I've never seen a real ocean before. It would be fun to try swimming."

"No, it's real peaceful. Titian said there wouldn't be any accidental deaths anyway, so if you start to have trouble there's probably divers under there in case you need help," Jackie said.

"Maybe I will then. Not much, since I don't want to get tired, but just a little," Lancia said.

"I don't know how to swim," Demetrius said.

" _What?"_ Jackie and Reefe asked together.

"There's no water in Nine. Just fields," Deme said.

 _"_ _What?!"_ Jackie and Reefe said. A rousing discussion on the differences between Districts began, and it continued until the three notes summoned us to our next challenge.

* * *

Aliara Bavier, D12

The pyramids were gone from the clearing. There was only the sandy ground, a line painted across the sand near us, and two carved wooden poles across the clearing. As usual, Titian's lovely face greeted us when we gathered around.

"Good morning, tribes. Heilala, take your first look at the new Fonu tribe. Nash was voted out at tribal council," he said. No one was surprised, but it still made me feel sick. I didn't even see him die. He was just gone, like a ghost.

"Good news. With the arrival of the second challenge, Fonu now receives flint," Titian continued. He tossed the fire-making tool underhand, pulling the toss so it thumped into the sand at Sparkil's feet.

"Are you ready for your second immunity challenge? I hope so, because we're doing it. Across the sand, you will notice two poles. Each tribe will select one person to grab the pole. They will also select two people to try to pry the other team's choice off the pole and across the field. This is a very physical challenge, but I will be standing by to monitor that no undue contact occurs. The first tribe to drag the other tribe's member across the line wins immunity and the prize," Titian said, pointing to a covered basket at his feet. "Today's prize-" he pulled the cloth off with a flourish- "Fishing gear. You have a pole, fishing line, hooks, flippers, a swimming mask, and a spear. I'm sure this will make camp life much more bearable."  
"Who wants to do what?" Hannah asked as we conferred.

"Me and Ashton should do the pulling," Manny said.

"Do you want to be on the pole?" I asked Abrexa. It wasn't really a question. We were all looking at her, and our intent was obvious. _Win this one, or it's you._ It was the ideal outcome for me. As a non-participant, I couldn't be blamed if things went sour. We either won and none of us were in danger. If we lost, well, really only one of us lost.

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

To no one's surprise, Heilala chose Deme to hug the pole. He was thin, but he was built like a basketball player. He was solid muscle and his arms wrapped around the pole almost twice. It would be a herculean effort to budge him. Our rival pullers were Charming and Ruby, both of them muscular and tough. We were the underdogs, for sure. This one was riding on Abrexa.

Titian gave the signal, and Ash and I sprinted across the field, the sand flying as our feet dug divots into the soft ground. We reached Deme in seconds, and when we approached, he curled in even tighter like a constricting snake. I tried to grab onto his arm, but it was pressed so tightly against the pole I couldn't get my fingers between his flesh and the wood. Ash grabbed his torso and leaned back, but he might as well have been a puppy tugging at his shirt.

I glanced over to see how Abrexa was doing. Her arms were around the pole and laced into her shirt sleeves with her hands twisted in the fabric. Her legs were bent like a pretzel with her ankles pressed so tightly together they were white. Charming and Ruby were on her like a pair of harpies, Ruby pushing at her ankles and Charming testing all along her arms for a weak spot.

We had to work quick. I abandoned Deme's thick arms and went for his hands. A door was most easily broken at the hinge, and the fingers were the thinnest part of the hold. I wormed my hand into the tiny gap created by Deme's folded hands, then took the end of my arm in my other hand and leaned back with all my weight, forcing my arm in between Deme's hands. Ash was pushing his fist between Deme's stomach and the pole, taking advantage of the natural give in the flesh to get a hold. All the while, members of both tribes were screaming advice and encouragement. I felt like a gladiator fighting to get the job done before the lions came out.

Inspiration struck as I bent forward with my head close to Deme's clenched hands. Titian had warned against undue contact, meaning anything that drew blood or left bruises. Neither of those applied to what I did next. I opened my mouth and slopped my tongue along Deme's hands, drooling all I could. Deme shifted but didn't let go, but I didn't need him to. I leaned back into pulling, and his lubricated fingers started to slip.

"Ash!" I yelled. He saw what I was doing and got ready to push at the right moment. He wedged one foot up against the pole as I pulled one last time. The instant Deme's fingers came loose, Ash launched himself off the pole into Deme, pushing him to one side as I threw myself around the pole so he couldn't grab back on. We both sat on Deme as we planned our next move, ensuring he wouldn't crawl back to the pole. As we planned, I turned back to look at Abrexa.

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr, D2

They got my feet apart. I knew that was a losing battle- with both of them putting their full weight into pushing them apart, it was going to happen. My arms, though, were another story. I laced my fingers together at the first knuckles in a hold that was horribly painful as they tugged but wouldn't slip due to the increased circumference of my finger joints. Ruby had both my feet and was pulling so I was stretched out in a straight line away from the pole as I flopped and Charming worked on my arms. It was impossible for him to get a good grip, since I'd shoved my hands inside my shirt and they were covered in fabric. He tried tickling me, which was nearly unbearable but didn't shake my resolve.

I risked a look over and saw Manny and Ash had Deme off the pole. When Charming saw it, he redoubled his efforts. Manny and Ash couldn't drag Deme without risking him making a move for the pole, so they took a minute to plan. Ash got an idea and signaled it to Manny, who nodded. Ash moved onto Deme's back as Manny put his back against the wall and folded his legs against Deme's side, pushing him out of arm's reach of the pole.

Ruby's pulling increased suddenly, and the pain seared through my fingers like nothing I'd ever felt. If she kept it up, I was going to let go. That couldn't happen. I craned my neck and sank my teeth into my own arm, creating another point of contact and lessening the pressure at the other points. The determined clenching also served both as a way to get my mind off the pain and a reminder of how much was riding on this moment.

Manny and Ash were at Deme's feet now, both sitting at one leg and scooting backwards with their feet in the sand. Deme was clawing at the sand and pulling himself back toward the pole with both arms, making a back-and-forth motion as they both worked. Every time Deme lifted a hand to pull, the boys yanked back, so that Deme moved a foot forward and maybe a foot and a half back. They moved toward the finish line with agonizing slowness- in my case literally, since every second made my fingers scream more.

"Ruby!" Charming yelled. He pressed himself against the pole so I wouldn't re-curl myself when Ruby dropped my legs. They both took an arm and leaned back in opposite directions, and I tasted blood as I clenched my teeth at the pain. I couldn't look back at Manny and Ash anymore. I couldn't even hear them cheering. I put my mind farther and farther away into a smaller and smaller corner of myself, smelling blood and feeling the waves of pain.

All at once, everything stopped. My body went limp as the pressure on my hands slackened. I sucked in breaths and slowly became aware of the deafening screams coming from half the clearing. I lifted my head from where it had fallen flat into the sand and leaned back onto my knees, crossing my arms across my chest so my fingers lay limp in open air. I slid my back against the pole as I stood slowly, turning to face my jubilant teammates.

* * *

 **I wasn't specific enough about the idol. It's "hidden" at a famous location somewhere on Earth, like Macchu Picchu or something (not Macchu Picchu though). Survivor contestants can theoretically look as much as they want, but I'm going to follow the advice of some readers and give people three guesses per clue. The first clue in Survivor is always super vague and useless, like "look somewhere flat", so I made mine like that. Later clues get more specific. The next one should come after the next tribal council, which is Heilala this time. I suppose that wasn't very suspenseful, but I felt mean making the first two challenges not turn out even.**

 **Forgot to mention: Heilala members make sure to vote!**


	33. Penny For Your Thoughts

Camellia Spruce, D7

Today Titian decided he wasn't crazy enough yet and told us he was adding "confession cams" to the island. As far as we could tell, some poor camera guy was going to sit out in the woods and if we had anything interesting to tell the audience, we could go talk to him. I enjoyed talking, so I decided to give it a try.

"Hello, camera guy," I said to the poor dude stuck out on an island with us. "Do you have to live in a hut too?"

"We have a camp," he said, squirming with embarrassment at me addressing him and not the audience. "Look, this won't be broadcast. You have to talk to everyone else."

"Oh, okay, sorry. Confession: I'm bad at this," I said, then pretended to look past the camera at the watching Panemians. "Hello everyone. I'm Camellia. I'm probably supposed to confess my vote, but I don't want to. I feel bad about it, okay? There's no one here I hate. I'm just voting because I have to. It's weird being part of a conspiracy to kill someone." I scratched my head and tried to think of something worth telling.

"One time in camp I got up early and cracked a coconut, but I didn't tell anyone else because I didn't want to have to crack more for them," I said.

"It doesn't have to be a literal confession," the camera guy broke in. "Just be interesting.

"Coconuts aren't interesting? You're coco _nuts!"_ I said.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

It could be anyone. Deme lost the challenge for us. Really it was Ruby and Charming, since they should have been faster than two outliers, but the blame would be on him. I felt terrible about my role in the scheming. My only consolation was that the others did the same thing, but I was supposed to be an example.

Titian gave a big speech about fire being life and we all lit torches. He gave another speech about the voting system and how tribal council was going to go down. Then he opened the floor to us, and things took off.

"Obviously, we'll want to pick someone who's not necessary to camp life," Reefe said.

"What's that supposed to mean? Trent asked.

"Me and Jackie provide half our food. You'd be mighty hungry without us," Reefe said.

"I'm used to being hungry," Deme said.

"Are you used to being weak? That's what we'll be if we have no food. Especially now that Fonu has all that fancy fishing stuff thanks to you and the Ones," Jackie said.

"I didn't see you volunteer for the job," Charming said.

"We trusted you," Jackie said.

"That was your mistake. Never trust someone," Charming said. Others started to break in, and it was hard to tell who was saying what. Potato covered his ears at the noise and trotted away from the fire for some peace at the edge of the clearing.

"Can we just vote?" Deme pleaded with Titian. Titian waited to wring some more drama from the moment, then held up his hand.

"This has been a very revealing council. Let's see the results. You may start voting."

Most of us put in our votes without hesitation. Potato lingered over the paper for some time clutching the pencil in both hands. Jackie counted some sums on her fingers before voting. When we were done, Titian hauled the urn to the circle.

"The tribe's decision is final," he said. "Our first vote... Angora." Angora looked down in resignation. "Angora. Lancia. Lancia." Angora peeked at Lancia, who was looking at the fire. "Jackie. Jackie. Two votes Jackie, two votes Lancia, two votes Angora." He paused before unveiling the next vote. "Camellia*. Trent*. If the next vote is for Angora, Lancia, or Jackie, that person _will_ go into sudden death." Titian paused again for his infernal cameras. He reached into the urn and flipped the vote toward us.

"Jackie." Jackie looked at him, then at Angora and Lancia in turn. Both the other girls looked away. Titian read the next two votes. "Jackie. Jackie. Five votes Jackie, two votes Angora, two votes Lancia, one vote left." He reached into the urn and turned the vote toward us.

 _L,_ the paper said, and there was a crudely drawn potato under it. "There's only one girl here whose name begins with L. Our illiterate friend has voted Lancia," Titian said. Lancia started to hyperventilate, but she quickly got her breathing under control.

"Jackie and Lancia, please come with me for a sudden death challenge. Winner returns to the tribe, loser is eliminated."

I'd been so intent on the votes I forgot entirely to look for my own name. I'd gotten away without a single vote. I was still scared.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

 _Why did they pick me?_ I wasn't even part of the challenge. Neither was Jackie. She was at least strong, but I was just another teammate. I tried to listen to Titian, whose words both echoed deafeningly in my head and seemed far away and underwater. Behind him were two swords, which filled me with panic until I saw they were blunt. Beside them were two curved shields and two piles of coins on stands. Titian described the challenge.

"Both of you please pick up a sword and balance it with one hand on the curved part of the shield. When the challenge begins, both of you will begin stacking coins on the handle of the sword, one coin at a time. You have thirty seconds to place each coin. We will continue stacking the coins until one of your stacks drops. First person whose coins topple loses the challenge and is eliminated. Bear in mind the coins are unevenly shapes, and one half may be thicker than the other," Titian said.

It wasn't necessarily the end for me. I never could have beaten Jackie in a real fight, but with my gymnastics skills, I had very good balance. But I wasn't out of the woods, either. Careers learned about balance too, and it took crazy hand-eye coordination to catch a fish barehanded. I could be dead in ten minutes, or I could be alive in five minutes. I set my sword against my shield, thankful for the blunt edge that made it easier. Jackie and I both took a coin in hand and I explored the thickness of mine as we waited for the signal.

"Go!" Titian said. I set my coin on the sword handle, which was roughly the same circumference as the coin. It was slightly thicker on one side, so I slid my fingers through the other coins until I found one that balanced it out. I put it on just as Titian gave the second signal. Both stacks were still sturdy, and after waiting a few seconds just in case, Titian signaled for the third.

Five coins in, nothing was happening. The stacks were still short due to the thinness of the coins, and neither of us had shaky hands. I was used to holding balance beams or parallel bars, and Jackie was used to holding spears. We could go on forever.

* * *

Jackie Hawkins, D4

I did everything for them. I caught a fish with my _bare hands_ for them, and they voted me out. Not gonna lie, I was pissed. If I died, I hoped they starved. I hoped they voted Reefe out right after me just so they would starve. I didn't deserve this. I did everything right, and I couldn't control it if my tribemates made a stupid decision. I was mad as heck and I focused all that anger on that tiny little swordpoint.

Lancia wouldn't be easy to beat. _Why couldn't it have been a swimming competition? Apparently the cavemen outside Four can't even swim._ We were both on coin six, and neither of us was having trouble. Lancia looked nervous, but I'd be nervous too if I was fighting me. Not all Careers were as scary as they looked, but it was hard to tell by looking.

Ten coins in, and we were both still going strong. My stack was starting to go crooked, and I could see the gaps where the thicknesses overlapped. I peeked at Lancia's, being careful not to move my arm, and saw hers was likewise awry. Her other arm was shaking, but mine was too. We were both shiny with sweat.

"Go ahead and add the eleventh coin," Titian said. I hovered my hand over the stack and looked for the perfect position. My other arm was locked, and the stack was motionless. Lancia squeaked and her hand shot up as she almost made a false move. She steadied her breathing and tried again, and the coin slipped into place. I laid mine on top as light as a feather. It shifted slightly and my heart jolted, but I kept my head and didn't move.

Neither of us thought it would last to coin twenty-three. My body stayed as still as ever, but my thoughts wandered back to home. This wasn't exactly what I'd signed on for. It was one thing to die in a sword fight, and another to die in a coin fight. There was a maddening element of randomness that meant life and death boiled down to serendipity and luck. In some contests, I would have been easily beaten by Nash. In others, I would have been unbeatable.

Each time I picked up a coin, I held my life in my hands. Both of our stacks were teetering by now, and the slightest change in air pressure could have killed one of us. I brought the coin down toward the stack, which leaned perilously to one side. I hesitated for a second, hoping to hear Lancia fail, but I couldn't look over any more to see her progress. Like my stack had been held together by glue and it suddenly melted, the coins fragmented and rained to the ground. I watched them fall all the way down, bringing my life with them, but I didn't see them hit.

* * *

 **More mood whiplash as we go from Camellia failing at Confession Cam to a sudden death duel. I wanted to add Confession Cam so I did it before I forgot.**

 **23rd place: Jackie Hawkins- blown up by exploding coins**

 **I regret this one. I don't really have a favorite this year, but I was really hoping Jackie would last a while. Birkaran has been so excited about this and it's right in her name! We've been swapping notes and ideas from the start and I dreaded watching the votes come in. I was hoping they'd be even so I could pick, but I felt obligated to go with the readers if it was five to three.**

 **Obviously, I liked Jackie. I liked her less intense Career-ness and her unique assets in camp life. She really illustrates how unpredictable Survivor can be. Some people get so confident about how a season will go and I just have NO idea. I still have NO idea who will win. It's such a unique mix of elements, emotions, and random human factors that it really is a social experiment. Maybe that's why the show has lasted so long. Anyway, I'm sorry Birk. I didn't want this to happen.**

 **First note: I might possibly not update during any given day for a while. I just started my new job and I worked 11pm-7am, so I get home in the morning and sleep from like 8-4, which is really trippy to get used to. I still wrote today when yesterday was my first day so it'll only get easier, but it might happen. You all haven't been pressuring or anything, I just thought you should know so you don't think I died.**

 **Second note: I might someday pick the Tribute with fewer votes (if they're close) just so the suspense isn't ruined. If the one with more always dies, it's just a voting Games, not really a Survivor Hunger Games. I'll be factoring in popularity and trying to gauge the votes to see if the Tribute I pick to die had a chance of actually winning. This story is really more an art than a science, so there is a lot of intuition and flexibility involved. I'll do my best, you know?**


	34. Gone Fishing

**Clue 2: To stay in the game and stay ahead, peel your eyes for something red.**

 **Edit: I did some cleanups to catch some goofs**

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

Lancia shrieked as Jackie exploded all over her. Blood painted her all down her front and chunks of flesh and gristle dangled from her hair. As her mouth opened, I saw something red fly in and I retched. Camellia toppled backwards off her seat and heaved herself back over the bench to be farther away from the scene. Only Ruby and Charming were stoic.

"The tribe has-" Titian tried to say, but we couldn't hear him over Lancia. " _The tribe has spoken!"_ he yelled, and said some other garbage about seeing us later and all that. Most of us fled down the path to our camp, with Charming and Ruby taking up the rear. Sammie and Camellia ran to Lancia's side and each took one her hands, sandwiching her between them protectively as they helped her back to camp. I would have helped them, but I didn't want to get in the way.

"What was that?" I heard Reefe shouting as I got back to camp, hovering beside Lancia, Camellia and Sammie. "How are we gonna eat now?"

"You can fish, right?" Ruby said.

"Not as much as two of us! And maybe now I don't want to after I saw what happens to providers," Reefe said.

"I trust you still want to protect yourself," Charming said meaningfully.

"If you let me live, maybe I'll fish and maybe I won't. If you kill me, there goes your last chance. Looks like we have a standoff," Reefe said. The rest of us stayed out of the charged staredown.

"Let's just never lose again, okay? Can we do that?" Camellia asked. One of the worst things of the night was seeing Camellia cry. Stuff was going down if Camellia was in despair.

"We're not going to lose again," Charming said. "Losing Jackie was unfortunate, but we're still the stronger tribe. Let's all try to get some rest and forget about this."

"I'm not going to forget about this," Lancia said, staring at nothing with wide, white eyes as Sammie dabbed at the blood on her face with a wet leaf. No one but Charming or Ruby had any chance of forgetting this.

* * *

Bailey Arroyo, D10

"So, you ever fished before?" I asked Hannah.

"There's no lakes in Nine," she said. "How about you?"

"I don't think I've ever even eaten a fish," I said.

"Oh, how hard could it be?" Hannah asked. We looked over the tools and doohickeys in our basket. I hadn't seen any fish up close since we got to the island, so the short-handled net didn't seem like a good idea. Neither of us felt coordinated enough to use the spear, so that left the poles. I picked one up.

"All right, looks like we just push the button, throw the hook into the water, wait for the fish to pull, pull the fish in, and eat it," I said. I tried to toss the hook out into the surf and succeeded in getting it maybe fifteen feet out.

"I think we have to put bait on," Hannah said.

"Oh, right," I said, sheepishly reeling the line in. I put on a worm from the bait box and threw mine out as Hannah worked on hers. Once they were in the water, the two bobbers drifted out into the waves, and we started a conversation as we waited.

"We eat a lot of oatmeal," Hannah said, after I explained that we usually ate the eggs that weren't fresh enough to ship out. I was about to answer when my line went taut and pulled so hard I had to take a step forward.

"You got something?" Hannah asked.

"Sure feels like it," I said. The fish yanked me and I took another step. Hannah reeled in her line and came to help me as I pulled back on the fish. I was glad the line was thick, because whatever I had, it was heavy.

"That must be one big fish," Hannah said as she held the middle of the pole.

"We'll eat like kings!" I said. I thought the pole might break, but it held steady as I reeled in the line. The water started to roil as the fish reached shallower water, and then fins started to flop around on the surface.

"Almost there!" I said. The fish was barely seven feet out into the water. It was about two feet long, and I almost dropped the pole when I saw the fin pointing straight up. Hannah yanked again and the fish flopped around on the sand. We both jumped away from it in alarm.

"That's a shark!" I said. The vertical fin and gnashing teeth gave it away.

"It's just a little one," Hannah said. She looked closer. "Think we can eat it?"

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, D1

Apparently it was my turn for "confession cam". The camera crews kept staring at us as we were trying to mind our own business. I tried flipping one off so he couldn't film me, but it seemed a show about killing kids didn't care about profanity. I gave up and threw them a bone.

"All right, what do you wanna talk about?" I asked.

"Uh, I'm just supposed to film," the camera guy said.

"Okay, how about an inside look at camp life? You can all see it already since there's cameras and all, but how about some _real_ dirt?" I said. I didn't plan to talk about anything important, but if they wanted some stupid gossip and it would get them off my back, I could bear it.

"Usually I don't talk much in camp. I don't think I'm better than everyone else or anything, I just don't have much to say. Charming talks enough for both of us. Speaking of Charming making noise, I got something for you out there: he snores. Not like a sawmill or anything, but it's definitely there. He talks all tough, but he snores like a little kid."

"Sammie and Camellia are trying to teach Potato to write. It's worked out a little as you can see, since he can write an L. Obviously they're doing it to buy his vote, but at least they're not mean to the little tuber. I've never voted for him yet. I'm no angel and I'm not going to risk my life for a dumb kid, but that won't be a proud vote for me."

I paused to think of anything the people might find interesting. I didn't pay much attention to gossip or embarrassing stories. I wanted to live, not socialize. Inspiration came when I thought of the one thing they wanted to hear about more than anything else: violence.

"Want to know why we voted for Jackie? Not saying I did or didn't, mind you. Those of us who did, did it because we thought she'd win. She was capable enough to get us food, good at most challenges, and way nicer than me or Charming. They didn't vote for me or him because they knew we'd always be unpopular and they could do it whenever they wanted. Jackie was the one they were afraid of. And now we'll go hungry, so that's lovely," I said. "Happy now? Will you leave us alone a while?" The camera guy left me in peace, allowing me to lapse back into my preferred silence. You didn't win the Games by talking. A Career won by listening.

* * *

 **More cleanups: The tribes are allowed to watch the sudden death challenges. It was a goof when I showed them not watching. I meant for them to be watching from a distance. Ruby and Charming DO know how to fish, they're just not as good. And luckily, this was one of them edible sharks. Maybe a fruit snack shark or something?**


	35. Roll With It

Ash Summers, D3

Shark tasted as good as any other fish. Better, really, since the only fish I'd ever eaten was some soggy fish sticks. Also because I was currently near starving and any meat would have tasted good. We had fish, we had rice, and we had fruit. All in all, it wasn't that bad.

"Does anyone else feel really dirty?" Sparkil asked, holding out her stained shirt.

"Yeah, I'm getting a little... crusty too," Cain said. I hadn't had much of a wardrobe at home, but at least I'd had more than one shirt.

"This is probably TMI, but it would be really nice to change my panties," Aliara said.

"Just wash them in the ocean," Bailey said.

"With my _butt_ hanging out? There are cameras!" Aliara said.

"You just kinda have to wrap up in banana leaves or go commando for a few minutes," Bailey said.

"I've been alternating between my panties and my swimsuit," Hannah said. We'd all been provided swimsuits before we came, which was nice. I'd never had one before. My only experience with water was the wash tub.

"That's a good idea," Aliara said. "You brainiacs figure out a way to make soap too?"

"No, I just scrub it with leaves and rub flowers on it so it smells pretty," Hannah said. The challenge notes interrupted us.

"Shoot. Now we have to wait," Gael said. "Let's see what Caligula has in mind this time." We got up to move, but then I noticed a parachute in the air.

"Hey, I thought we weren't doing sponsors," Sherman said. Gael hooked it and read the note.

 _Please report to the beach for this challenge and bring your swimsuits,_ the note said, and it provided a map to the right location.

"Welcome, tribes," Titian said when we arrived. Behind him in the water, there was a giant log floating between two platforms. "Today we'll be testing your balance. Two at a time, one member from each tribe will stand on either end of the log. At my signal, you will step onto the log, which will begin to sway under your weight. Whoever remains on the log longer wins the match. First tribe to win six matches wins immunity. Losers go to tribal council. In addition, you will be playing for this," he said, whipping a tarp off of a pile of stuff. "Comfort, in the form of pillows, blankets, and cushioned chairs. You also have a metal pot. This should make camp life much more bearable. Your opponents have been randomly selected. Line up and we'll begin."

* * *

Abrexa James Jr, D2 (opponent: Angora)

After my performance in the last challenge, I hoped I had some credit with my tribe. More likely, they now wanted me out because I was a Career and _also_ because I was a threat. My best bet was if Fonu never lost again, so I needed to do my best.

I'd never had to balance on a log before. We had unconventional terrain training in the Academy, but not on a floating log. When Titian gave the signal, I stepped on the log and almost fell off right away. Angora lurched as well, and I bent my knees to get a lower center of gravity. As I did that, Angora leaned to one side. She came out of the gate a lot faster than I expected, and I went into the water before I could form a plan. This one was out of my hands.

 _Heilala 1, Fonu 0_

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6 (opponent: Manny)

This was just what I needed. The balance beam required total concentration. If all my thoughts were on the log, there was no room left for... something I didn't want to think about. As soon as Manny got on the log, I started to jump around and stutter-step with total confidence in my quick moves. Manny held out for maybe three seconds, them tumbled in. I tried to keep thinking about the log even after I got off.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 1_

* * *

Cain Pander, D3 (opponent: Sammy)

Sammy looked like the sort of person who would have good balance, with her dodgeball and sportiness. I was surprised when we both got on the log and started lurching like drunkards. Once I almost fell just as she did, but we fell opposite ways and balanced each other out. We stayed stock-still for a few minutes, neither daring to make a move that might backfire. I stepped forward and to the side suddenly, and the log twisted under us. Sammy stumbled but caught herself, then pushed the log to one side with her foot to try to catch me off guard. I windmilled my arms wildly and got back into the middle of the log.

I switched sides to face out into the ocean instead of towards her. I started to walk forward, moving the log along with me. Sammy wavered and turned to face the same way. She leaned back to try to stop the log, and when that didn't work, she leaned forward to speed it up. I jogged a step to find the right pace, and we both started to speed up. I slipped backwards slightly on the log and had to walk uphill. We were both starting to fall, and Sammy's foot caught as she lifted it. She tried to catch up, but it was too late, and she slid backwards into the water.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 2_

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9 (opponent: Ruby)

It was intimidating to be up against a Career. I couldn't help but think that if I won, Ruby might take a more permanent victory by drowning me or something. I faced the beach just so I didn't have to look at her. I tried to pretend it was someone else as we started. Someone easy, like Potato.

Ruby wouldn't expect me to make a move. She knew I was afraid of her. I took a risk and started to run on the log. Ruby ran along with me, and I picked up the pace even more. It was hard to keep up, so I started to jump with every step, keeping my feet off the treacherous log for longer and longer stretches. Ruby's foot slid on the wet log and she slipped forward, landing on her stomach and rolling into the water.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 3_

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8 (opponent: Sparkil)

Sparkil and I both opted for a face-to-face stance. She went one way and I went the other, and both of us almost fell, since the expected movement didn't happen. I tried to right my crooked stance by shifting my feet, but as I pulled up one foot, Sparkil leaned sideways and pushed. My leg went almost down into the water, and when I tried to pull it up, it hooked into the curve of the wood and I was pulled in.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 4_

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11 (opponent: Deme)

Deme was a lot taller than I was, but unfortunately, he wasn't a big muscular guy. He was thin enough to make delicate movements, but I did have one advantage: I had a lot lower center of gravity. I hunched over as I faced him, lowering myself as much as possible. I started to make small, quick movements back and forth, jiggling the log. Deme swayed back and forth as he defended his position. His long arms started to windmill and after some struggle, he simply toppled off the log.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 5_

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1 (opponent: Bailey)

I couldn't rest on my training this time, because I'd never trained in not falling off a log. I didn't want to lose for obvious reasons, but I also hoped I didn't end up looking like a total idiot in front of everyone.

I didn't look like an idiot.

 _Heilala 3, Fonu 5_

* * *

Reefe Mordecai, D4 (opponent: Aliara)

We _sucked._ We were getting our butts kicked. If they got one more win, that was all she wrote. I, however, was in an ideal position. I wouldn't get blamed if we lost, since we lost by so much. A _lot_ of us shared the blame on this one. I _was,_ however, in a position to be the hero.

I went all in, shaking and jumping on the log like a cat on a hot tin roof. The log went all over the place, and I almost fell off half a dozen times. Aliara also almost fell off half a dozen times under my onslaught. Then she really did fall off, just once.

 _Heilala 4, Fonu 5_

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6 (opponent: Gael)

One more win and we had this. I could be the hero that won it all. I had the advantage, being into parkour and all. Gael didn't have anything to jump off but a bunch of hay bales.

I remembered my skills and kept my feet light, focusing my weight in my trunk so my limbs were unencumbered as they moved. Gael wasn't giving up, and he'd done the wise thing by opting for a defensive strategy while he waited for a good moment. I danced back and forth on the log, jolting it one way and then another with no pattern to follow. Out of nowhere, I jumped backward to the very edge of the log. Gael didn't know what to make of the movement, and I took advantage of his distraction to give the log one huge shift, sending Gael's feet out from under him and him into the water.

"That's six! Fonu wins the challenge and the prize!"

* * *

 **Ha ha, I didn't alternate the winner this time. I just didn't want to make it too predictable, but I'll still make sure it's even. Since you also know I don't want to pulverize one tribe, this probably ruins the suspense for next challenge *cough* *cough* but you never know, maybe I'll have three in a row. It could conceivably happen. I also used small POVs for each bout, obviously. Those POVs are too small to be credited as an appearance, so Ash is the only one who gets marked as having a POV in this chapter. That's only important because I try to keep them equal. Camellia also didn't get a credit for her short confession cam spot.**

 **I hope there aren't goofs in the bouts, but there might be- especially in Cain and Sammy, since I kept losing count and having to switch back and forth between who won, so the pronouns might be wrong. I'm just a little dyslexic and I have a really hard time with left and right and numbers in order, so it was hard to keep track of who was on which tribe and how many bouts were won by each.**

 **Someone has found the immunity idol! It was hidden at Uluru, which: 1. Is in the Southern Hemisphere 2. Is red. 3. Has two names (I would have taken Uluru or Ayers Rock. The guesser listed both anyway) The idol can be used on anyone the holder chooses and is used before the votes are counted, as per Survivor convention.**

 **Remember to vote if you're in Heilala! Someone helpfully reminded me that some Tributes are now dead and their voting status wasn't explained. Dead Tributes don't vote in tribal councils, but I'm working on a way their submitters can still be included somehow.**


	36. Campaign Trails

**Yep, I miscounted. The INTENT was for Fonu to win 6-4 with the last match (Camellia and someone) never happening. Predictably I messed up, but I meant Fonu to win. Sorry about that.**

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

Everything was going wrong. We were blowing it. We had all the strongest players and every advantage. Fonu shouldn't have stood a chance, and here we were losing for the second time in a row. They were going to bleed us dry and take care of the last dregs when we hit the merge. I'd seen enough tapes to know that was how things went. The tribes always stayed loyal. The tribe that was smaller when the merge came never ended up on top.

There were a lot of factors in our slump. Reefe hadn't caught any fish yesterday. I didn't think he did it out of defiance. I thought it was out of pure nerves. He was nervous about seeing his District partner die and he was nervous about his new and insecure place on the totem pole. Ruby and I tried to make up for Jackie, but we didn't have any luck. And that was just it- _luck_ was such a huge and uncontrollable factor. If we'd caught more fish, we wouldn't have gone to bed hungry and woken up tired. We would have been full of energy and morale, and we would have won the challenge.

Lancia had turned out to be a surprise. I'd thought she'd be shaky after the trauma of the duel, but she owned her bout on the log. It was clear the council did have an effect, though. She hadn't been working around the camp as much as usual. She wasn't lazy, but she'd taken to sitting at the edge of camp sometimes and staring out at the water. If she didn't recover soon, she'd be a liability. The rest of us were watching her like a pack of wolves on a sick deer. We'd already voted her out once, and we barely needed an excuse to do it again.

Above all, the most important thing was to make sure people didn't vote for me. Choosing the order of eliminations was ideal, but not getting eliminated was essential. So far I hadn't had any trouble, and I didn't anticipate any this week. We were at our lowest point, and no one wanted to get rid of the leader. I'd done well in the log challenge and I continued to be productive around camp, except my unfortunate failure with the fish. Next time I went, I had to come back with something. There was no other option.

For tribal council, I knew who I was voting for. Ruby would follow along, not out of servitude but out of solidarity. If Reefe thought it wasn't him, he'd be with us, too. Unless he was still disgruntled over Jackie, which was a definite possibility. This game was turning out less like chess and more like rock-paper-scissors, with everyone trying to guess the other person's move and building recursive strategies based on the knowledge that everyone else was doing the same thing. And just like rock-paper-scissors, there was that accursed presence of luck.

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

I was on a quest. I was all alone in the jungle, but it was okay, since there weren't any tigers or Careers or anything. I passed by some coconut trees and then a papaya tree, but I passed them by. We already had coconuts, and there were only two tiny papayas on the second tree. I needed something better than that.

I ended up hitting the other end of the island before I found what I wanted. The beach looked pretty much the same as ours, but I cleared out quick in case Fonu's camp was over there. They seemed nice, but I wouldn't want to get mistaken for a spy. I doubled back into the trees and kept looking.

 _Aha!_ I thought when I found the tree. It just might fit the bill. I hadn't known exactly what I was looking for, but there were a lot of possibilities I would have taken. The lemon tree was one of those. Most of the fruits were still green, but there were a few handfuls of bright yellow packets of sour goodness. Being from Seven, it was easy for me to scale the tree and knock all the ripe fruit down. I scooped them up into my shirt and headed back to camp, taking a diagonal route.

It wasn't really camp I wanted. It was Lancia. I'd seen her go out into the woods like she'd been doing lately. I tread lightly on my way back, since I didn't want to meet anyone else. I broke out of the trees onto the beach and saw Lancia sitting on one of the sand.

"Hey," I called, since I didn't want to startle her. Her head whipped around but she stayed seated. "Can I join you?" She didn't say anything, but her expression told me she wanted to be alone. I totally understood, but I had to do this. I sat next to her on the sand.

"It sucks, right? I don't even know what to say," I said. Lancia covered her eyes with her hands.

"Everywhere I go, I still see her. I can't sleep, I can't eat. I'm so scared. I wish I'd just died instead. She might have won, but I'm not going to. I'm going to die anyway. She should have just won," she said. I didn't want to intrude on her space, so I put my hand on the sand next to her instead of hugging her as she cried.

"You have a right to be here. Nobody should die, and that means you, too. I'm sad Jackie died, but I'm happy you're alive. It's not your fault, and it's not your fault if you _think_ it's your fault," I said, and I tumbled the lemons out of my shirt. "Here, I got these lemons. You take them and tell people you found them."

"Why?" Lancia asked.

"They want to vote for you again. You have to show them you're still doing things and trying to win. Let's take them to camp, okay? Life's given us a lot of lemons. Let's make some lemonade."

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

Everyone from Seven can climb trees, right? That's what the others thought, anyway. I grumbled a little at the stereotype, but I _could,_ in fact, climb trees, and that meant it was my job to hang up the hammock. _You win this time, stereotypes._ Not that it was the end of the world. I actually _liked_ climbing trees. It was just the principle.

"All right, there you go," I said as I tied the knot. I jumped down out of the tree and landed on the soft sand.

"Who should sleep there?" Gael asked.

"I kind of like the shelter. It's warmer in there. Someone else can have it," Cain said.

"We could alternate," Sparkil said.

"I'm with Cain. I'll sit it in during the day, but it would be cold at night. Besides, with our new blankets, the shelter is really cozy. Everyone who wants it can alternate," Hannah said.

"Does anyone even want it?" Sparkil asked. All eyes went to either Abrexa or Rahina.

"I don't want to be out by myself," Abrexa said. _I don't want to stick out any more than I do,_ Abrexa meant.

"Heck yeah. If no one else wants it, lemme at it. Y'all can keep the blankets. I'll use some leaves," Rahina said. She sat in the hammock for a minute, then got out so everyone else could have a try at the tippy bed.

"This is better than home," Rahina said, reclining on a blanket spread out on the sand just in front of our shelter. The tarp we'd won was spread over it. We wouldn't have to deal with leaks ever again.

"This is better than your house?" Gael asked.

"Shack is more like it," Rahina said. "Aliara's probably the same."

"I actually had an apartment, but yeah, lots of people live like that," Aliara said.

"I lived in the gutter. Me and Aliara are kind of the opposite of what people expect," Manny said.

Camp wasn't as nice as my house, but sometimes we had more food here than back home, and always a lot more variety. We hardly ever got meat, so the fish I'd been eating here was a big treat. Camp was starting to look like the island paradise we only ever read about in books. My tribemates were nice- okay, most of my tribemates were nice- and we'd been winning lately. The only thing bringing me down was a foreboding certainty that it wouldn't last forever.

* * *

 **Today the poor CNA on the shift after mine got dumped alone so I stayed with her three hours so she wouldn't die. So I worked 11-10 last night to this morning and go back tonight for another eight hours. But that doesn't matter because I thought ahead and wrote this beforehand! Be sure to vote if you haven't yet. I have most votes but am missing three.**


	37. Third Tribal Council

Potato Springfield, D11

It was hard to tell exactly what was going on, but it had been fun so far. I liked building the camp and eating all the strange foods. I especially liked the coconuts because they were brown and had peels like potatoes. There weren't any potatoes here, so I looked forward to getting back to that.

Sammy and Camellia were trying to teach me to read. I didn't think it sounded very important, but they were very enthusiastic, so I did my best. They taught me a P for potato, though I preferred a visual signature and usually added a picture of a potato to ensure everyone knew it was me we were talking about.

Everyone was restless and sad in camp. They were all talking about tribal council, so that explained the gloom. Last time we went to tribal council, Jackie exploded. I just wrote down the letters Sammie and Camellia said, but that might have had something to do with it. I thought maybe we were picking someone to go home, so my first impulse had been to write my own name. Lucky thing Sammy and Camellia told me not to. I wrote an L for Lancia, and she didn't blow up.

The music played again. It always stopped in the middle of the song, and I was curious about what the rest sounded like. I liked to stay at the back of the line, in case something spooked me, so I was the last to reach the clearing. It took a torch like everyone else and lit it.

"Good evening, Heilala. I must admit I didn't expect to see you here. You're obviously the stronger tribe. Any explanation?" Titian asked.

"It's a hard game, and there's luck involved. I'm sure our luck will change soon," Charming said.

"Maybe if we quit getting rid of our strongest members. I mean, Lancia and Jackie? Sure was nice to have a gymnast last challenge. Might have been nice to have someone who spent almost all her life in _water,"_ Reefe said.

"Yeah, we should probably take into account who won their bouts," Trent said.

"Oh, because that includes you?" Deme asked.

"Well, it doesn't include _you,"_ Trent said.

"We all know we're voting for ourselves, not our tribe," Angora said. "Stop trying to dress it all up. Vote for who you want to kill and own it." Everyone went silent, and Titian broke in.

"This has been a very enlightening tribal council. Everyone, please cast your votes."

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

I was just glad the votes were anonymous. It was hard to keep up any shred of morality when everyone knew I wrote down a name like everyone else. If we all did it, it was a shame we all bore but nobody mentioned. We had mutual dirt on each other, and we all forgave everyone else and still blamed ourselves. I knew everyone else was voting for the same person I was. That made me just another drop in the bucket, right? Just one in a crowd. Never the one that caused the death, just one tiny piece. The same excuse the masses always used to absolve themselves.

"The decision of the council is final. Let's read the votes," Titian said. He took out the first sheet of paper. "Cross." My heart lurched, but I felt almost gratified. I should be happy to die for someone else, and I couldn't say I didn't deserve it. Titian took out the second paper.

"Reefe. Reefe. Reefe. Reefe. Reefe. Reefe. Reefe. Reefe. R(eefe). Reefe*. Our obvious choice is Reefe. Due to Reefe's vote, Cross will join him in a sudden death duel. Reefe and Cross, please come join me," Titian said. _Wouldn't it just be funny if Reefe won? That would be a little awkward in camp. Better not blow this,_ I thought almost giddily. _Everyone wants me to win._

* * *

Reefe Mordecai, D4

We expected some complicated mechanism or setup, but there was nothing in front of us but a pile of sticks and two pairs of metal rods with strings tied between each of them. Titian gestured toward the two lines.

"Today's challenge is simple. Using the sticks, you will build a fire. First to burn through their string wins. Loser is eliminated. Flint will be the only provided tool," he said. I crouched by one pair of rods and Cross took the other. Titian tossed us both a flint and steel, and they pounded softly onto the sand. "Begin."

In Heilala, we never actually used our flint to make a fire. We'd just kept Sparkil's magnifying glass going constantly. I still knew the theory, but it wasn't reassuring. The first thing I needed was tinder. The initial fuel had to be thin and light so the spark could easily burn it. I stripped the bark off a twig and started to fray it into tiny slivers.

I should have seen it coming, and I sort of did. I was the biggest threat to Charming and Ruby. The others looked up to them as leaders. I was the only one both strong enough and willful enough to make trouble for them. Most of my teammates were one or the other, but I was twice the trouble.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

Once I was actually in the challenge, I felt at peace. I wasn't going to decide who won. God was a lot smarter than I was, and either way, everything would turn out right. If I died, I died. As it was happening, I probably wouldn't feel so serene, but it was easy to be calm now. After it was done, I'd be in Heaven and it would be all right. But I needed to focus on the fire at the moment.

I got my tinder in place and laid a single twig over it for kindling after the spark took hold. I started to strike the flint against the steel, and a shower of sparks rained out. None of them hit the tinder, and I tried again. Two of them landed, and one immediately fizzled out. I blew on the other, willing it to take hold and spread across the tinder. It was like looking at a tiny spark of life flicker on the twigs, and it was appropriate how fragile it was.

* * *

Reefe Mordecai, D4

Nothing was working. Cross was starting to feed twigs into his tiny flame. I couldn't even sparks to come out. I would have been frustrated if I wasn't so focused and determined. I altered my technique, slowing down my strike so the steel ran all down the flint. A single spark shot out, arced through the air, and winked out before it landed.

 _Why'd it have to be fire? I'm from Four. This is a challenge for someone from Twelve._

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

My fire pile was about the size of my hand. I'd gone from a smolder to a real flame, and I didn't have to worry about it going out anymore. I slowly added more sticks, building my fire higher and higher and closer to the string. Reefe was still struggling to get a viable spark. I looked away so I wouldn't feel so complicit. If I pretended it was closer, it was easier to keep trying. I had to pretend this was a duel and not an execution.

My fire stretched up and touched the string. It flickered back down, but I'd reached the tipping point. The dancing flame touched the string again and again, and a tiny blackened spot started to spread on the cord. It was only a matter of time now.

* * *

Reefe Mordecai, D4

A creeping numbness spread inside me. I didn't even have a spark yet. I snuck a look at Cross and saw his fire already licking at his string. I was going to die. There wasn't any question now. When I first realized how stupid I'd been to volunteer, I'd had the same feeling. The only difference was this one was more immediate.

There were so many things I was going to miss because of one stupid choice. My family. My home. Swimming, fishing, eating cookies with my sister, saying "is it your face?" every time she said she had a problem... I left everything behind when I volunteered, and now I'd lost it all.

I didn't hear the string snap, but I heard Titian announce it. I started to turn to look, but I didn't make it. The world lit up around me and there was half an instant of blinding pain. In a rare mercy from the Capitol, it didn't take any longer.

* * *

 **22nd place: Reefe Mordecai- Immolated by superhot flames**

 **The votes were 9-1, so the decision was clear and I also incorporated it into the duel by having Reefe totally get steamrolled. Lots of people looked down on Reefe for his totally asinine reason to volunteer. It _was_ totally asinine, but he learned, even if it was too late. It was, conversely, his capability in the Games that got him killed. Four tends to have the most popular tributes, and this time popularity's a curse. Thanks 66samvr for sending in someone who might make some pretty boneheaded decisions, but doesn't _always_ make boneheaded decisions.**

 **The only vote I didn't get was Trent's. I assumed he would have gone along with everyone else.**


	38. A True Underdog Story

Lancia Audren, D6

Everyone feared burning to death. I felt oddly detached from it, since I'd already seen someone die at close range. It wasn't as bad as the first time, especially since it happened so fast. There must have been spouts hidden in the sand, and the flames came out so quick they were all over Reefe in a second. We all shared one instant of horror before the flames receded to show nothing but a charred skeleton. I couldn't imagine how hot it must have been to do that so fast, but it meant Reefe didn't have time to feel it. I'd never considered the Capitol merciful before.

"Good thing Cain wasn't here," Sammy said.

"What? Why?" Trent asked.

"He got burned when he was little. He doesn't like fire," Sammy said. It seemed bizarre to discuss something so mundane after what we saw, but it was like we had to cling to something normal _because_ of what we saw.

"Let's just go back to camp," I said, cutting off Titian, who had surely been about to make some pompous speech. The others got up quickly, no doubt thinking I was about to fall apart. They were wrong. I'd been through my own fire, it had refined me. I wasn't the same, but after what I'd been through, nothing would scare me.

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr- D2

Honestly, it seemed I had overestimated the hatred against Careers. The others saw we were all in this one together and there was no time for grudges. They probably still hated me, but it hadn't been coming out in the votes. It didn't mean I was going to start slacking off during challenge, but maybe I could start to breathe again.

For outliers, my team wasn't a bad bunch. Aliara was a suck-up, but most of us were hardworking and grounded. For some bizarre reason, my favorite was Rahina. She was loud, rude, bad-tempered, selfish, and nearly unbearable. Something about her frank honesty made me smile. Maybe it was because neither of us had much chance of winning.

We didn't learn much about everyday Games life in the Academy. We did a sleepover once a year to get a "wilderness experience", but that didn't prepare me for spending weeks sleeping on hard ground with no blankets. In short, it was _nice_ to have those comfort items. With Rahina usually in the hammock, there was more room in the shelter, and we could sleep farther apart with the blankets for warmth. It was starting to feel like a vacation.

It seemed like we'd just finished the last challenge, but here we were again. The music sounded, Titian's ugly face greeted us, and Heilala filed in. We all looked to see who was gone, and I was shocked to see it was Reefe. Charming and Ruby must really hate Four. When I looked back at Titian, I noticed he was holding a red rubber ball.

"Good morning tribes. Take your first look at the new Heilala. Reefe was voted out at tribal council. I suppose you're wondering about this?" he asked, holding up the ball.

"Before the challenge, let's reveal the prize," Titian said, and he revealed the contents of the huge, wide basket at his feet.

"Today's prize is simple: food. Every District in Panem has gotten together to send you the best they have to offer. We have pastries and candies from One, canned items from Two, freeze-dried ice cream from Three, fish from Four, pancake mix from Seven, bread from Nine, steak and other meats from Ten, and vegetables and fruits from Eleven. In addition, Five has provided lighter fluid, Six has provided the basket to carry it, Eight a picnic cloth, and Twelve the charcoal. And as for the challenge? It's just as simple: dodgeball."

All heads in Heilala shifted at once to look at Sammy, who grinned.

* * *

Sammy Voltage, D5

We had five minutes to strategize. I could make that work.

"Who here is fast?" I asked. Ruby, Charming, Lancia and Trent held up their hands. "Okay, you try to grab the ball in the opening rush. Everyone else hang back and let the others throw so they have to throw a long way. Once we're started, here's what we do: first, we pick the order of our targets. First Abrexa, then Manny, then Ash, Rahina, Sherman, Sparkil, Gael, Bailey, Hannah, Cain, and Aliara. Everyone aim at the targets in order and together. They won't be able to dodge everyone at once. If you're not throwing, stay near the back. Try to split up and throw from both directions, too. Don't try to catch a ball unless you're really sure, and if we start to win, start getting more cautious. Okay?"

We were playing an old-school version of the game. There were eleven balls in the middle of the court, and we'd run at them at the signal. No headshots, but everything else was fair. Those hit were eliminated but allowed back in if a teammate caught a ball. Simple, like Titian said.

When the teams lined up, I was facing Cain. Clearly the others had heard of my past and didn't want to match me with a valuable player. Cain was the sacrifice. Titian gave the signal, and Fonu sprinted in, along with half of Heilala, with the reserves staying behind. I snatched the ball but fell back before throwing, in case the others got the idea to try to take me out early. I threw as I ran and hit Cain on the leg, dodging Abrexa's throw as I did. Heilala fell back to organize, with the exception of our first casualty Cross. On the other side, Heilala was missing only Cain, since we hadn't attacked yet. I picked up Abrexa's ball and we fanned out. I signaled and we threw all at once at Abrexa. She dodged some of the balls, but not all of them.

"Retreat!" I called. Fonu had all the balls now, so we hugged the back of the court to make the throw nearly impossible. Sparkil's throw fell short, but Sherman's powerful arm launched his far enough to smack Potato, who tried to catch it but fumbled. After two more misses from Hannah and Gael, Trent darted forward to scoop up a fallen ball. Aliara and Rahina both threw, but Trent neatly jumped over one and twisted around the other. Charming and Ruby both took one of the fallen balls and I held the one that took out Potato. We split off with me and Ruby on one side and Charming on the other. We all aimed at Manny and Ruby's ball took him out. Three down, eight to go.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

We were... not doing as well as we had been. Obviously Sammy knew her stuff. Our two strongest members were already out, and so was Cain. We had to get organized.

"Everyone aim at Sammy!" Gael said. The six of us holding balls sent a flurry flying toward Sammy. Angora dove in front of her, absorbing four of them so she could dodge the rest. It wasn't what we'd intended, but it did eliminate someone. Sammy fell back to the far end of the court and called directions to the others. Most of the balls were on Heilala's side after our strike, and the Heilalas grabbed them and split off again. I knew that meant they were about to take aim, but I didn't know who the target was until my eyes landed on Sherman- the one with the longest range.

"Sherman!" I yelled, just as they pulled back their arms. Sherman leaped out of the way and escaped the onslaught, but one ball went wild and smacked into Aliara. Sherman jumped back in quick as a cat and lobbed a ball at Charming, hitting him in the neck. The others retreated and clustered around Sammy as we picked up the balls. Sherman was the only one who could throw far enough that the ball would still be fast when it got to them, and he launched another one at Ruby. Unfortunately it went high, and she caught it lightly. Sammy signaled Charming back into the game and we all groaned. Sherman, not to be defeated, launched another ball at Charming as soon as he reached his team and sent him back out. That gave Sammy three balls to work with, and she, Ruby, and Trent moved in for another attack. This time we didn't let them get into position. We launched all our balls at them and succeeded in removing Ruby. Deme and Lancia took her place and the three of them fired at Sherman. Bailey, who had been standing near him, fled as two of the four balls hit home on our strongest remaining player. As Heilala fell back, I aimed a shot at Deme but missed.

Sammy pointed at Gael, and those standing near him cleared out. They didn't have enough balls to attack yet, and we made careful use of our shots. Sparkil aimed at Camellia, who dodged it and almost fell. Gael aimed at Deme, but his shot went crooked. As we started to run low on balls, we followed Heilala's strategy and retreated. Heilala got around that by running in closer, now that it was harder for us to throw back. They all turned at the last moment and aimed their balls at Ash instead of Gael, taking him out along with Bailey, who had been next to him. Gael fired a desperate shot at Sammy, who caught in and waved Ruby back in. With their remaining balls, Heilala aimed at and eliminated Rahina.

"Not looking so good," I said to Gael and Sparkil, who smiled wryly back at me. Sammy sniped Gael the instant he turned to look, leaving me and Sparkil. I picked up Sammy's ball and lobbed it back at her, hoping to catch her by surprise. She was surprised enough not to catch it, but not enough not to dodge it. She mirrored my maneuver and whipped the ball back at Sparkil, taking out my only remaining tribemate.

There were four balls left on Heilala's side at that point. I stood alone against the juggernaut that was Sammy and her helpers Ruby, Trent and Lancia as they took aim at once. On the bright side, I dodged one of the balls.

* * *

 **What a surprise! Heilala won! May they enjoy a buttload of food.**

 **Speaking of prizes, I need YOU! Sometime I plan to do a reader's choice challenge. Everyone who wants to can pick something to send to their Tribute. Think of it like a sponsor item, so not too big, but useful. It can also be something more sentimental if morale is more important. Notes from mentors are okay too.**


	39. Grace

**Content warning: Cross' views will likely prove very controversial. It was part of his form, and I included it. I hope we can afford him the same respect we for other diversities in worldview. Also, his POV turned out really long, mostly because it was an important and detailed moment for him. I have noted the length for future reference.**

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"So... tough break."

After winning twice in a row, we'd become a little complacent. It seemed like we were doing so well, and people always assumed things would stay the same. Change was scary, especially when we were winning. But here we were, on the losing side. Two people were going into the hot seat. Only one was coming back. We hadn't really planned for this like we should have, and no one wanted to be the first to discuss it. "At least we did our best?"

"It doesn't matter if we do our best. It only matters if we win," Rahina said.

"Ill-tempered though you may be, you're right. One of us is dying. But at least he can die knowing we tried our best," Gael said.

"That's not nice," Cain said. He was the only person on our team to think that was a valid reason not to say something, and it was nice to see he hadn't changed. If he died, he would be the same. More likely _when_ he died, for the same reason.

"We gonna talk about the elephant in the room? 'Nice' aside, we have to vote. We gonna vote all over the place and see who the shotgun hits, or are we gonna plan it out and determine exactly who we want to murder?" Rahina asked.

"It's not us, it's the Capitol. We didn't ask to be here. Except Abrexa," Sherman said.

"Everyone makes mistakes," Abrexa said as she looked darkly down at our fire. There were eleven people in our tribe, and there were eleven different personalities and strategies. There were planners, floaters, coattail riders, and conscientious objectors. As for me, I just wanted to win. Whatever the strategy or vote that took, I would do it. It was a simple, universal matter of self-preservation.

Abrexa was the most dangerous opponent, but she was also the most valuable. Aliara was the weakest, but she was also someone we all knew we could beat at the final vote. Cain was perhaps the most dangerous if he got to the finals. He was also one of the weaker members in challenges, more by default than by any shortcoming. Lastly, he was also the only one we'd all feel guilty about voting for. It was apparent the votes would be scattered this time. For this week at least, my focus had to be on not who I wanted to remove, but who to vote for to ensure someone else had more votes than me.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

We were on the winning side this time, but that didn't mean I could relax. At every moment, I had to make sure I was friendly, agreeable, and helpful. I couldn't make myself indispensable physically and only barely mentally, but I could be enough of a comfort that the others were reluctant to go without me. That was how I ended up tending the fire and turning the meat on the makeshift spit we'd erected. With a prize like the one we'd just gotten, a party was inevitable.

"How are you so strong in One if you eat candy all day?" Camellia asked as she waved a packet around.

"It's the sugar. It gives them energy," Sammy said.

"We do _not_ eat candy all day. We hardly ever eat candy," Ruby said.

"Then why's the candy from One?" Sammy asked.

"It was the closest they could get to luxury. Volunteers have very strict diets," Charming said.

"Whatever. I'm eating it," Camellia said. She opened the packet and poured red crystals into her mouth. A second later, she shrieked and spat it out.

"This isn't candy! It's _acid!"_ she said. I heard a faint crackling and thought for sure her jaw was eroding away. Trent ran over to see the horrifying spectacle. Lancia, who had been sitting beside Camellia, threw herself down and scuttled away.

"Is your jaw gone?" Trent asked. Camellia cautiously removed her hands from her mouth and considered the question.

"No, it's okay. Guess it wasn't acid. It's just fizzy. It's... _crackling_ in my mouth. I can hear it," she said, and the rest of us heard it, too.

"That's not candy. That's a heart attack," Sammy said.

"I think I'll eat the other stuff," Cross said. We avoided the candy as we tore into grilled meat, chewy bread, and charred vegetables. I felt like a savage dancing around a fire, and I never wanted to be civilized again.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

I was on the beach when Lancia found me. After dark, it was the only place bright enough to read.

"Hey. I just came to talk strategy- oh, what are you reading?" she asked.

"Just a book," I said. We both knew what it was, and so did the Capitol. They let me keep it because it gave them an excuse to demonize me if they had to. It was a big risk for my entire family, and I wouldn't have brought it if my father hadn't insisted.

"Anything in particular?" Lancia asked.

"The forgiveness parts. I think I need that," I said. The main reason I hadn't been more open was the thought that nobody would want to follow someone whose followers acted like me.

"I don't think it's you who needs forgiveness," Lancia said.

"You mean the Capitol, right? Just because they do wrong things doesn't make it okay for me. I'm supposed to put others first. I should have thrown my vote away and told everyone to vote for me. But I didn't. I voted for someone I thought would die, and I convinced other people to do it, too. I let someone else die in my place," I said. I still thought Reefe was in heaven, but that didn't absolve my participation in his death. I followed someone who died for me, and I did the exact opposite.

"We all did that," Lancia said, but she knew as well as I did that didn't change anything.

"That's not all, either. I'm messed up. It seems like I sin all the time. I keep trying to stop, but I always go back," I said. There was something I'd been keeping secret all my life. I'd been too ashamed to tell anyone, even my father.

"Come on. What could a goody two-shoes like you do?" Lancia teased. And she _was_ teasing, but I went on anyway. Maybe because she wasn't as close to me, maybe because I was going to die anyway, or because there was no way the Capitol would let any of this air. All at once, I let it out.

"Sometimes I'm attracted to men," I said. Lancia cocked her head in confusion.

"Yeah, so?" she asked.

"Look at this," I said, and I pointed at the verse I was reading: _"_ _Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."_

"Oh, okay," Lancia said after she read it. "No one who's ever stolen anything can go to Heaven, or anyone who's greedy, or anyone who's ever been drunk. Must be pretty lonely," she said.

"No, they can still go. God forgives," I said.

"But not you," she said. I didn't have an answer for that.

"This doesn't even apply to you. It doesn't say 'men who are attracted to men'. It says 'men who have sex with men'. I always thought that was no big deal, but even if you think so, you're covered," she said. When I still couldn't answer, she went on. "And you have to read the next verse. You can't just read one verse and stop. The next one says 'you were washed, sanctified, and justified'. Even the people who actually did it. Doesn't sound like you're not allowed in Heaven to me."

"I should have told you before. You've never even read this and you know it better than I do," I said, and I was smiling. Just like that, Lancia came in and showed me the light. I felt light as a feather and relieved of a burden I'd been carrying for years. I had a feeling I interpreted it slightly differently than she did, but the conclusion was the same. It took a lot more than the little things I was worrying about to reach the end of God's love.

* * *

 **Fonus, make sure to vote if you haven't! I still need Abrexa, Manny, Cain, Gael, Ash, and Rahina (unless you sent them in and I didn't write them down, which is entirely possible). The votes I have are very spread out, so each new vote is valuable.**


	40. Fourth Tribal Council

Rahina Herrington, D11

 _Blah, blah, blah._ Titian and his stupid, repetitive speeches. We all knew he wanted to goad us into an argument so he got those precious ratings. _Don't get me wrong, I_ am _an ornery cuss, but not because of your stupid speeches. In fact, because you_ want _me to be an ornery cuss, I'm going to act like an angel._

"Why'd we lose this time? I don't want to be rude, but that's a stupid question. If we knew, we would have won," Aliara said.

"It's not our fault Sammy is a dodgeball professional. It's not very fair to make a challenge like that when someone is so good," Manny said.

"Whatever the reason, we lost. Let's just vote and get out of here," Ash said.

"All but one," Sherman said.

"You just had to say it, didn't you? Most of us just want to forget that," Ash said.

"I don't want to forget anyone," Cain said.

"Some of us aren't angels, okay? Must be nice being perfect," Gael said.

"I'm not perfect," Cain said.

"You could have fooled me," Aliara said. Cain looked at her in bewildered confusion and fell quiet.

"Maybe we should vote out the first person who got eliminated," Manny said. Everyone looked at Cain.

"It doesn't matter who lost first. We all lost," Hannah said.

"Quit picking on Cain. He didn't do anything," Bailey agreed.

"You want us to pick on you instead? Since it doesn't matter when we lost, we might as well vote for the last person to lose," Aliara said, looking at Hannah.

"If you want to waste your vote on a stupid reason like that, go head. It won't matter, since _most_ of us will be _smart,"_ Sherman said.

"I'm ready to vote," was all I said.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

I was scared. No lies, I was scared. I wasn't a challenge-winning phenomenon or the most popular person in camp, but I _was_ one of the stronger Tributes, just literally by physical strength. Since I wasn't strong enough to guarantee we'd always win, I was just strong enough that the others might want to take me out. Titian reached into the urn and I felt my heartbeat skyrocket.

"Our first vote is for Sparkil," he said. We all turned to look at Sparkil, who kept a poker face. "Aliara." Sparkil shot a glance at Aliara, who glared at her. "Gael." _Come on, why do they have to be all over the place? Get it over with._ "Gael." Gael folded his arms like he was more exasperated than scared at his impending death. "Aliara." Gael let out a single breathy chuckle and looked expectantly at Titian. "Sparkil." We all leaned in closer without realizing, waiting for the vote that would break the tie. "Hannah*." _Of course._ There were two votes left. Unless they lined up perfectly, it would be a tie. I'd never even thought about that. "Aliara*. Three votes Aliara, two votes Gael, two votes Sparkil, one vote Hannah, one vote left." I heard the silence as Hannah held her breath suddenly.

"The person joining Aliara in the elimination duel is Sparkil*. Sparkil and Aliara, please join me for the duel," Titian concluded.

 _Not a single vote for me,_ I thought. I'd worried for nothing. But really, worry was never for nothing here.

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3

I could have seen Aliara coming, but I wasn't sure what I'd done to incur this slight. I didn't suck in the last challenge. I'd been doing okay all along. I wasn't the best or the worst. Honestly, the way the votes were scattered, I probably just had bad luck.

At the other end of the clearing, there was a round target set up on a tripod in the sand. Titian bent over and retrieved a pair of bows and a handful of arrows. _Oh, that's interesting,_ I thought. Finally a challenge we could actually have trained for. If only it was Abrexa and not me.

"Today we have another simple challenge. You see in front of you a target. I'm holding two bows. I'm sure you get the idea. Three shots each, best shot wins. Loser is eliminated." He handed me three green arrows and gave Aliara three red ones. We took our places beside each other and faced the target.

"May the best woman win," I snarked at her.

"Shut up," she said. Obviously the insult didn't go unheard.

* * *

Aliara Bavier, D12

 _Who voted for me?_ Not Gael, obviously. Whatever else went wrong, I still had him taken care of. Sparkil was an obvious candidate, but it might also have been one of the insufferable "saintly" ones who acted so holier-than-thou- Cain, maybe, or Sherman.

No lies, I was scared. I'd fired a bow a few times in the Capitol, but I hadn't thought I'd really need to use it. I was no expert, but I knew Sparkil wasn't either. The winner would be by default this time, but neither of us were picky. I couldn't even think of Zelena to take my mind off the fear. I needed to focus entirely on the target, which was the exact thing I was afraid of.

"Ladies first," I said to Sparkil, who decoded the sarcasm and lined up her shot. She took her time aiming, and when she let go, the arrow missed the target by a hair and landed in the sand. I felt a smile starting to grow as I took aim. My first shot barely hit the target, but it _did_ hit. Sparkil said something probably unsavory under her breath.

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3

"Aliara's first shot is on the outer edge. Sparkil has yet to hit the target," Titian narrated. I repeated it in a funny voice in my head. It would have been a little easier without a Capitol fop breathing down my neck. _I have two more shots,_ I reminded myself. I tried to remember what few things I'd learned about archery in the Capitol. My only experience was when I happened to see the instructor demonstrate from across the room. I hadn't learned anything significant from such a short encounter.

 _Steady arm. Take your time._ I didn't know if that would make a difference, but it sounded reasonable. I remembered how the last shot felt and went over its trajectory in my head. Archery might not be my strong suit, but math was. I calculated distance and force as best I could in my head. I let the arrow fly, and it thudded into the third ring out from the center. There were five rings in total, not that it mattered. It was closer than Aliara's.

* * *

Aliara Bavier, D12

Sparkil had improved, but I had two shots left to surpass her. I shuffled my feet in the sand, buying a few seconds to gather my thoughts and focus my shot.

 _It would be a lot easier without_ Titian _making all that noise!_ I thought. _He_ wasn't the one in the hot seat. He could put a sock in it. _It would also be a lot easier if I wouldn't_ die _if I screwed up!_

 _So don't screw up,_ I told myself. I took a deep breath as I raised the bow. I willed myself to be totally still, moving only my fingers as I let go. The arrow stuck into the fourth ring out from the center, and Sparkil's arrow taunted me from its closer position.

 _It's okay,_ I told myself after a moment of panic. _She has another arrow, but I shoot last. All I have to do is beat her mark once, and nothing else matters._

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3

This one had to count. Aliara was going after me. If she got closer in, I would have no chance to make it up. She would know exactly what she had to beat, and I had to make it impossible. I wanted to stall and put it off as long as possible, but it would get done either way. I pulled the arrow back and released it. It barely skimmed the edge of the target and dangled loosely, almost falling off. A chill calm came over me. I was ahead for the time being. It was all down to Aliara's final shot.

* * *

Aliara Bavier, D12

I just had to get one inch closer. Just one hair closer to the center, and I would stay alive. It didn't matter if it was pretty or anywhere near the actual center. Just as long as it was closer to Aliara's.

The smooth metal bow slid along my arm as I raised it, sending a trail of goosebumps down my skin. It weighed heavily against my elbow, reminding me of the importance of this shot. I felt the tension in the string as I drew back the arrow, a tension that mirrored my own. I aimed the arrow at the exact center of the target. _If I miss a little, it will still be close,_ I reasoned.

The arrow hissed softly as it sailed through the air. The hiss stopped with a tap as the arrow stuck into the target. It landed between my arrow, in the fourth ring, and Sparkil's in the third. I heard a thump as Sparkil dropped her bow in surprise and jubilation. Then I heard another hiss, slightly louder this time. I looked up and saw a hail of arrows coming right at me. It was too late to dodge them, and even if I did, they'd kill me somehow anyway. I'd see Zelena again eventually, but it was going to take a long time.

* * *

 **As the asterisks show, it was actually a 2-2-2 tie between Sparkil, Gael, and Aliara. In case of a tie, I couldn't exactly go with the majority, so I picked the Tribute I thought had the least chance of winning in the end. I picked Sparkil to duel with her because it didn't matter if it was her or Gael, and I gave them both one of the three bogus votes to break the tie.**

 **21st place: Aliara Bavier- shot with a hail of arrows**

 **Aliara was a plotter. Usually that would take her far in Survivor, but since there were submitter votes, it meant she was a lot less popular and her chances were lower. She and Gael both thought they were stringing the other along, and neither was entirely right. (SPOILER: Gael didn't vote for her. I wouldn't say who he DID vote for but I don't think it matters to say one person he didn't vote for). Aliara was pretty much like all of the others in that she just wanted to get home. She was just more practical about it and didn't pretend to have morals she didn't really have. Thanks LokithisisMadness for Aliara, who wasn't evil but also didn't put on any airs.**

 **Make sure to send in an idea for a pick-your-own-prize challenge I'm planning. So far only Sparkil has an actual prize lined up (it's vanilla soap). It can be any little thing that wouldn't change the game but would be a really nice thing for a Survivor to have (a towel, maybe? A letter from home? a pair of shorts? Water shoes?)**


	41. Machinations

**lol I DID forget the epitaphs! And I just now noticed we've lost 4 people and they were in pairs- 4 and 12. What are the odds?**

* * *

Careen Ellis, D4 Mentor

That was... interesting. I couldn't make heads or tails of it. Jackie and Reefe provided half the tribe's food. Those fancy cans and candies wouldn't last forever. They were going to be sorry about this one. What a senseless waste of a promising young woman.

* * *

Shane Donegal, D4 Mentor

It was nice that they voted. It was awful losing another Tribute, but I could say it definitely wasn't because of anything I did. Reefe made the most of a bad situation, and he almost pulled it off. It was a fitting legacy that his music was on tape forever. He played his luxury flute a few times, and whenever people looked back at the tapes of this singular year, he'd be playing still.

* * *

District Four

We got ripped off. Jackie was the best player and the others took her out like cowards because they were too scared to fight her. Reefe ripped us off when he took a spot he didn't deserve and denied a worthy fighter his chance. We'd never been as enthusiastic as One or Two, but we were worked up this time. Two didn't do anything, but One was going to pay.

* * *

Nubu Sanders, D12 Mentor

Nash was inevitable but still harder. Aliara was a surprise but still easier. I was sad about both of them, but it was easier for me to connect to Nash. Our lives were more similar- we were just more alike. I was left with the sad duty of carrying Aliara's locket back to Zelena. I never knew what to say in times like that.

* * *

District Twelve

Zelena wouldn't have been able to afford rent without Aliara, but Nubu took care of it. Nash's parents requested that they cremate him instead of sending him home, so his remains could be scattered from a hovercraft. It wasn't protocol, but Nubu pulled some strings. We hoped the winds took him all over Panem like he'd always wanted.

* * *

Gael Orford, D10

I hadn't expected that. While Aliara and I both considered each other helpful stooges, it _was_ nice to have a vote I could depend on. None of us could have guessed who would win a contest like that. Abrexa must have been jealous. She'd been getting off pretty lightly, too. I, for one, didn't want to get rid of our strongest player, especially after we just lost. She wasn't popular enough to win, so there was no need to waste her skills.

Like everyone else, my first thought was for myself. As I looked at Aliara lying on the ground with arrows sticking from her like a pincushion, I was glad it wasn't me. My next thought was also for myself. Aliara was gone, and with her was my only secure vote. I needed to either get another ally or find out who everyone else was voting for and make sure it wasn't me.

More than anything else, I hoped it wasn't a Career. Abrexa, Ruby and Charming didn't deserve this. They already had easy lives, and they left them behind by choice. I'd never understood how someone could be so entitled. They lived in the lap of luxury, at least compared to the rest of us, and they wanted more. They couldn't even share the Games' only silver lining- the slim chance of a better life- with people in poverty. I felt a related malicious glee that Aliara was gone. She at least hadn't asked for this, but she was still rich. Let someone else have a chance.

The rest of us, we deserved this. Camellia was so poor she'd never even eaten candy before. Manny and Rahina lived on the streets. My house's indoor plumbing ran on prayers and duct tape. That was why I wasn't ashamed to try to win, especially when it came to the Careers. It wasn't my fault that the only chance for advancement in Panem came on the backs of others. That was the only reason the government was in power. They sure as anything couldn't condemn me for doing the same thing they did. No one who had everything handed to them could judge someone like me. We were only acting like what they made us into.

* * *

Bailey Arroyo, D10

It was terrible to admit, but I was mostly upset about Aliara because of what it meant for me. I knew it my heart it was bad she died, but it was hard to make myself really feel it. My first thought when I saw her die was that camp was going to be different without her and that I didn't like change. My only consolation about my selfishness was that at least I knew I was being selfish.

My second thought wasn't much better. As the cameramen cleared away her body, I started running calculations. Our first loss had been Nash. We picked him for the obvious reason that he was the weakest. I'd kept that in mind and focused on never being the weakest link during a challenge. With Aliara's loss, that changed. She wasn't weak, and neither were Ash or Sparkil. There was some other reason we picked them, and some other reason Gael was almost on the chopping block. I couldn't think of anything they all had in common, and that made it harder for me to avoid whatever it was.

I stayed up a long time in the shelter turning things over in my mind. We'd all turned in early, not wanting to talk or think about what just happened. This time, the game wasn't about being the best. It all depended on finding what the others wanted in a Victor and becoming that. The obvious guess was to be nice and friendly, but behaving that way might just make me look like a suck-up. If I was the most capable in the tribe and carried us through challenges I might last longer, but the others would want me out in the final vote so their own chances were better.

I had to think about the cold equations. I had allies- maybe the biggest alliance in the tribe. We had power, even if we didn't look formidable. If we worked together, we could determine who went and when, and we could make sure it wasn't us. We could be the silent, overlooked majority that ran the tribe. And when we were through with everyone else and we were looking at each other wondering what to do next, the first one to strike could win it all.

* * *

 **Both these POVs turned out shorter than normal, so I didn't credit Gael and Bailey with an appearance.**

 **Two things I keep forgetting to clear up:**

 **1\. The tribe does see the duel, they're just a little ways away to avoid debris.**

 **2\. There's only one idol, and it will be rehidden after the user uses it. There IS a deadline (like two rounds before the last vote) just to make sure the user doesn't use it to get into the final round. That's how Survivor did it so I went with it. If the user doesn't use it and gets eliminated, it gets rehidden.**


	42. That's Nasty

Sparkil Maclein, D3

Yesterday was history. Today, we were going to win. We didn't have all that food, but we had a warm shelter and fresh fish. We just had to count our blessings and be happy with what we had.

"Okay, everyone. Yesterday was their turn, but today it's our turn. For sure we'll win," Hannah said as we clustered around the fire eating crunchy and slimy fish.

"I don't think that's how it works," Gael said.

" _It does so!"_ Hannah insisted.

"Let's hope it's a puzzle challenge," I said.

"I hope it's an agility challenge," Trent said.

"Speak for yourself," Bailey said.

"Whatever it is, we'll win," Hannah said. Her unflagging optimism bolstered us all, and I was almost excited when challenge time came.

The smell hit me before anything else. It was hard to tell exactly what the scent in the air was, since it smelled like a lot of scents were mingling. When we reached the clearing, we saw Titian sitting at the head of a long table set with ten chairs on either side. Set between each pair of chairs was a pair of metal domes like the ones people in the Capitol used to cover their dishes.

"Good morning, Tributes," Titian said. "Today I would like to invite all of you to a feast." At the word _feast,_ everyone but the Careers quailed and the Careers brightened. "But as you can see, it's not an everyday feast. This is a _challenge_ feast. Please take your assigned seats." I found the chair with my name on it and sat with everyone else as Titian continued.

"If you look across the table, you'll see your partner for today's challenge," he said. I looked up and locked eyes with Cross. _Okay, could be worse._ "One pair at a time, I will reveal your entree. At my signal, you may begin to eat. Whoever finishes their dish first wins one point for their tribe. First to six wins. The losing tribe goes to tribal council, where two people will be voted out and one will be eliminated. In addition, you'll be playing for this." He reached under the table and lifted, with some strain, a long box.

"A full toolbox. You have hammers, nails, rope, a saw. All sorts of things that will help you remake your camp in your image. Worth playing for?"

"Yes!" Camellia said helpfully, then blushed when everyone else was quiet.

"Good. Then let's begin."

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, D1 (opponent: Cain)

It wasn't going to be so easy. We were all hungry, but there was sure to be some trick. I kept an eagle eye on Titian as he lifted the cloche. A horrible smell hit my nose as an equally horrible sight hit my eyes.

"First up, a rare delicacy. We have here _escamoles_. Escamoles are ant larvae harvested from the roots of agave plants. They're usually eaten in a taco, but you get them all on their own. Enjoy," Titian said.

I almost gagged before I even started. It was a Career's one weakness. The spirit and body were willing, but the stomach was weak. At the signal, I shoveled a scoop of maggots into my mouth and felt the blood leave my face. I hunched over with my hands to my mouth, unable to swallow them and unwilling to spit them out. Cain, looking nearly as sick as I did, put us both out of our misery when he finished.

 _Fonu 1, Heilala 0_

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6 (Opponent: Sherman)

"These little beauties are called _shirako_. They are the sperm sacs of cod, angler fish, or puffer fish. For you, we've selected an assortment."

 _Why'd they have to be_ sweet? That was the worst part. Fishy I could have stood. _Sour_ would have been okay. But they were _sweet_ like _pudding._ As I held them in my mouth, I remembered all the times I'd had to do things I didn't want to do in training- the hours and hours of practicing, the painful stretches. _It's just part of training_ was my mantra. _It's just part of training,_ I thought as I swallowed.

 _Heilala 1, Fonu 1_

* * *

Potato Springfield, D11 (Opponent: Ash)

 _"_ _Psst. It's food, okay? Eat it,"_ Lancia whispered next to me. _Food? Eat it? I can do that!_

"These are tuna eyeballs. They're a valuable source of water in emergency situations," Titian said. _Blah, blah blah,_ I heard. I picked up an eyeball and popped it in my mouth. _Ew, that's gross._ I would have thought someone from the Capitol could cook better. Oh well, free food.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 1_

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1 (opponent: Rahina)

 _The horror... the horror..._

That was _not_ food. That was _biological warfare. No one_ could eat a _duck fetus_ in an eggshell! What kind of sadistic freak even thought of that? For my tribe, I put it in my mouth. It came right back out. Meanwhile Rahina nibbled on hers while maintaining eye contact and making little noises of enjoyment. I wasn't even eating it and she made me puke.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 2_

* * *

Bailey Arroyo, D10 (opponent: Angora)

 _I will not give up. It's going down. No tarantula beats Bailey Arroyo._

When Titian unveiled a black, hairy, curled-up mass of legs, I almost wet my pants. It was the sort of thing that would make me scream if I saw it in the shower. Now I was supposed to eat it.

Angora twisted off a leg and started to eat them one at a time. I doubled down and went all in. I shoved the whole thing into my mouth and prayed with all my might it wouldn't move. Bile spewed up my throat and landed in my mouth, but I pushed past and re-swallowed the vomit as I worked on the spider. Bit by leggy bit, it slid down my throat. As the last of it disappeared, I knew I would spend the rest of the night waiting to feel it crawling back up my throat for revenge.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 3_

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7 (Opponent: Gael)

Titian removed the cover to reveal a glass of milk.

"This is called _airag_. It's fermented horse milk. It's also alcoholic, so don't drive afterward," Titian said.

 _Milk? No problem,_ I thought, and I chugged a mouthful.

 _That's no milk._ It tasted like nail varnish and burned my throat when I swallowed. Someone took all that was good in milk and sucked it right out. I kept drinking, flapping with my free hand and making terrible faces. Gael might be stronger than me, but I was definitely more disgusting.

 _Heilala 3, Fonu 3_

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3 (opponent: Cross)

"This one is my personal favorite. Here we have _hakarl_. This dish is prepared by burying strips of raw shark meat for three months. After that time, it is dug up, dried, and cured for several more months. This dish is, ideally, seven months in the making," Titian said as he revealed what looked like a strip of leather.

 _Seven months old. Any germs have to be dead by now,_ I told myself. _All the flavor, too. It doesn't taste like anything._

It _did_ taste like anything. Like death, specifically. Before I was done, I was starting to think actually getting attacked by a shark might have been preferable. The hakarl had the texture of a shoe and the taste of a shoe after its occupant stepped in rotten eggs. Luckily, I didn't have to eat it fast, only faster than Cross.

 _Heilala 3, Fonu 4_

* * *

Deme Fields, D9 (opponent: Abrexa)

Titian didn't have to explain the next dish (though he did anyway). We could both recognize locusts. Joke was on Titian, though. I ate those every summer.

"Yum, yum, yum," I said as I popped them like shrimp. "Tastes like chicken."

 _Heilala 4, Fonu 4_

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9 (opponent: Trent)

 _Why couldn't I have gotten the locusts? Locusts I can do._ Maggoty cheese, _that's not right._

Trent and I both gave it our best effort. For me the problem wasn't so much putting it in my mouth as it was getting it to go down. Every time I tried to swallow, my gag reflex had other ideas. At least the maggots were dead. The cheese tasted like I was eating the compost pile, though. One time while I was tilling, I came across a dead rabbit with its guts trailing all across the grass and maggots filling its eye sockets. This tasted about like that.

Trent started to speed up, and I noticed he wasn't paying attention to me at all. That thrill-seeking lunatic was treating this like one of his insane stunts. I got half the cheese done before he finished his, but there was no glory in second place.

 _Heilala 5, Fonu 4_

* * *

Sammy Voltage, D5 (Opponent: Manny)

Octopus wasn't so bad. I even tried it in the Capitol, since it was so cool and exotic. I would have preferred it to be _dead,_ though.

"If it makes you feel any better, it's going to die anyway. We had to remove the beak and innards," Titian said. It did not make me feel better. "In case of a 5-5 tie, we will have two randomly selected Tributes perform a tiebreaker."

 _No pressure._ I only decided whether or not Heilala won or needed a tiebreaker. The only thing in the way was a squirmy, snot-looking octopus the size of my hand. My teammates cheered me on as I tried once to pick it up with the chopsticks, then abandoned them and grabbed it in one fist.

 _Sorry, dude,_ I thought as I smacked the octopus against the table, hoping to kill it before I bit in. I took the head in my mouth and the arms squirmed everywhere, making me look like a tentacle-mouthed monstrosity. I scrunched my eyes as I chewed the head as quickly as possible so the arms would quit moving. When they did, I slurped it in like a noodle and almost choked.

"Heilala wins the challenge and the reward!" Titian crowed as I bent over and tried not to retch.

"How did it taste?" Camellia asked.

"You know, I didn't notice."

* * *

 **After Fonu's streak, it was only fair Heilala got one, too. They're safe for now, but be sure to send in your vote if you're on Fonu. And also be sure to send in a prize for the submitter's choice challenge. This time I counted a few times so maybe I'm right with the scores?**

 **The gross food challenge is one of my favorites, since I also love Fear Factor (no lie I watch it every night repeatedly, even though I've seen them all and know who wins. That's autism for you). Usually they relate to the location but Tonga didn't have much to work with. As for me, the weirdest thing I ever are was probably a raw worm, which I ate to freak out my friend. I _did_ eat locusts once. They're really not that gross.**

 **Oops, I think I switched Trent and Ash in my head since they're both boys and they both do sports! That's why I keep messing up Trent. He and Ash swap in my head. I'm afraid if I change the POVs I'll make it worse though :/**


	43. Fifth Tribal Council

**Heyyyy this one turned out long.**

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr (D2)

I was in the doghouse this time. We lost again, and I screwed up my bout. Of all the things that did me in, it was going to be locusts. Not even getting eaten by locusts. _Eating_ locusts.

"At least we got some food," Cain said.

"Don't remind me," Bailey said after she finished gargling with another coconut.

"That was pretty cool the way you ate that spider," Hannah said. "Mad respect, girl."

"I did what I could," Bailey said. "I just wish it had been enough."

"It wasn't that great a prize anyway," Sherman said. It wasn't nearly as bad as missing out on all that food.

I should have offered to gather food or something so I seemed productive and necessary, but I didn't want to leave camp. Everyone else was still gathered around, and I didn't want to give them any opportunity to talk about me behind my back. Soon enough we'd all split into our alliances anyway, so it was useless, but I got a superstitious comfort from it.

"If we vote out two people who are equally strong, they can fight it out and we can say we really weren't the ones who decided," Sparkil said.

"I think I'll still feel bad," Hannah said.

"Of course you're gonna feel bad. We all do," Sparkil said. "I don't feel exactly gleeful about beating Aliara, either."

"You didn't ask to get voted out," Cain said.

"And I'll do my best to make sure it never happens again," Sparkil said.

I felt like I was stuck in neutral. I was getting along better than I expected, but it wasn't because of the skills I valued in myself. I could be the best fighter in the world and still lose if the challenge was tying sticks together and grabbing a key. Nothing I was trained for was helpful here. I was a Career, but I was alive because of luck.

Then again, there _was_ one thing I had that was actually valuable. I wasn't trained in it, but it was the one thing I actually liked in life. This wasn't a game of strength anymore. It was a game of psychology. _That_ was the reason I'd stuck around so long. I was good at psychology. I _enjoyed_ psychology. Wouldn't it just be deliciously ironic if that was what brought me home? The one thing everyone dissuaded me from and looked down on was my only chance home.

* * *

Cain Pander, D5

Rahina had been strangely quiet at tribal council lately. She must have been nervous.

"So, twice in a row. Seems your luck has turned. Any thoughts?" Titian asked.

"Must have been that leprechaun I mugged," Bailey said sarcastically. She and Titian exchanged dirty looks.

"We'll do better next time," Hannah said.

"Thank you, Pollyanna," Gael said.

"It's better than giving up," Hannah said.

"It doesn't matter how we _think_ things will turn out. It only matters how we _make_ things turn out," Gael said.

"Do you think anyone in particular is to blame for your recent losing streak?" Titian goaded.

"No, we all get along perfectly. We're such good friends. We don't have anything negative to say about anyone," Rahina said. Titian looked about ready to pull out his hair.

"All right, let's just have a vote," he pouted. He looked maliciously gleeful as he anticipated at least one of his unhelpful charges dying a horrible death.

I always hated writing down my vote. Every time I put my slip in the urn, I hoped I wasn't voting for the loser.

"If anyone wants to play an immunity idol, now is the time," Titian said when the votes were gathered. We'd all been looking in our spare time. I, for one, hadn't found anything. We were all shocked when Sparkil pulled a medallion from her pocket.

"I'd like to use this," she said as everyone stared. Titian brightened at the drama.

"Any votes for Sparkil do not count. Let's begin," he said. "Our first vote is for Gael." Gael didn't look particularly bothered. "Gael." Gael looked around the fire at the rest of us. "Sparkil." Sparkil sighed in relief. "Rahina." Rahina looked up with a _who, me? e_ xpression. "Cain." "Sparkil." "Our first dueler is Gael." "Sparkil. Good move, Sparkil." "Rahina*." "Hannah*." "Our competitors today are Rahina and Gael. Last vote is for Bailey*."

* * *

Gael Orford, D10

Seems I didn't move fast enough. Without allies, I slipped through the cracks and got the brunt of the alliances' combined might. I didn't need to panic, though. I could get out of this. Rahina was impulsive and brash. If I kept my head, I'd be fine.

"Today we'll be holding the duel on the beach. Everyone, please join me," Titian said. We carried our torches through the dark jungle and stopped on the sand. Two illuminated platforms stood twenty feet out into the water, connected to the beach by raised pathways. Titian handed me a small whiteboard and a marker.

"Today's challenge will test your memory and your knowledge of local folklore," he said. "When the challenge begins, you will take your place on a platform. I will tell an ancient story from this part of the world. Listen carefully, because when I am finished, I will ask a series of questions about what I've just said. You will both write your answers on the whiteboard for display. The first Tribute to answer three questions incorrectly will be eliminated." Rahina and I picked our platforms, and Titian began.

"Long ago, a rat was traveling by palm canoe. A storm rose, and his canoe began to break. The rat looked for something to cling to and saw a blue octopus in the water. He asked the octopus if he would take him to land. The rat promised payment for his rescue in the form of a lure."

"The octopus allowed the rat to ride on his head and took him to shore. Near land, the rat jumped off the octopus and ran away, tricking the octopus out of his pay. Out of revenge, the _maka feke_ lure is shaped like a rat. It is made of a shell, a rope, and palm leaves for the body, tail, and legs of the rat. It is also said that the lure is shaped like evil, and children sing a song about it. The song goes: _Oh octopus, where are your tentacles? Hear the rat chitchatting about you. Wipe your head full of filthy ink. No way on earth you can grab hold of me."_

 _I got this,_ I thought. I'd been repeating each line as Titian said the next.

"The first question is: what kind of wood was the rat's boat made of?"

 _No problem._ Rahina and I flipped our boards. We'd both written _palm._ It seemed she was no slouch either.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

Oh, dear, a memory contest. It wasn't as though I lived in poverty much of my life and couldn't afford paper to write things down.

"Very good. Second question: how did the octopus carry the rat?" I wrote my answer down without hesitation.

 _On his head,_ we both revealed. It didn't matter how many Gael answered. I could go on forever.

"Correct again. Third question: what is the name of the lure?" Again, I wrote my answer immediately. I looked over and saw Gael erasing something.

 _Maka feke,_ I revealed on Titian's signal. Gael read my answer and muttered something inaudible.

"Rahina has written 'maka feke'. Gael has written 'make fele'. The correct answer is 'maka feke'. Gael has one incorrect answer. Rahina has none. Fourth question: what three parts are there to a maka feke lure?"

 _Shell, rope and palm leaves,_ I wrote quickly. Gael took longer, but came up with the same answer.

"Very good. Fifth question: what do the three parts represent?" I took a minute to straighten my thoughts.

 _Shell: rat body. Rope: rat tail. Leaves: rat legs,_ I revealed. I looked at Gael's answer and smirked.

"Rahina has answered the body, tail and legs. Gael has answered the body, tail, and head. The correct answer is body, tail and legs. That's two incorrect answers for Gael, none for Rahina," Titian said. Gael's arm twitched as we waited for the next question.

* * *

Gael Orford, D10

 _How can she be so fast?_ Rahina barely hesitated on any of the questions. It was like she had a photographic memory and this was all child's play for her. I couldn't beat something like that.

 _Just keep going. One question at a time. Outlast her,_ I thought. Maybe she only memorized a few things and it was just a string of unlucky questions. Maybe she didn't know any others.

"Sixth question: what color was the octopus?" Titian asked. I almost giggled in relief. I knew that one.

 _Blue,_ I wrote. Rahina revealed her board to show the same answer. I mentally cursed her as she smiled serenely at me.

"Very good. Seventh question: what does the song say is inside the octopus' head?" Titian asked. My mind went blank for a second, but I pulled myself together and found the information.

 _Ink,_ I wrote. It was a silly question, and I was glad it wasn't the one that killed me. Of course, Rahina wrote the same thing.

"Very good. Gael is at two incorrect answers. Rahina has none," Titian said. _You don't have to keep saying it,_ I thought. "Eighth question: what is the second line of the song?"

My heart stopped. I didn't know. I had some idea, but I didn't know. All I could do was bet my life on a guess. If Rahina knew, I was dead. Even if neither of us knew, I was dead. My arm shook as I wrote down a sentence. I went over it and changed a word I thought was wrong. I thought something was missing, but I had no way to know what it was now. I was almost certainly writing my own death warrant. I was shaking as I turned the board around.

"Gael has written 'the rat is chitchatting about you'. Rahina has written 'hear the rat chitchatting about you'. One of you has the correct answer," Titian said. I looked at Rahina and she flashed me a two-fingered victory sign. "The correct answer is..." Titian paused, and I saw the Tributes on the beach turning away in anticipation. "'hear the rat chitchatting about you'."

I expected the platform to fall out from under me and something heavy to clamp around my feet, dragging me under to drown. Instead, the water roiled behind me and I turned as a giant blue tentacle shot from the water and grabbed me around the waist. It coiled all around my body and contracted as it dragged me underwater, snapping my bones in a dozen places, including my neck. I'd wanted so much more, and all I got was beaten by Rahina.

* * *

 **Surprise, Sparkil had the idol. Now that she used it (correctly, too- she would have been in a lot of danger since this would be her second duel), I shall re-hide it and provide the first clue next chapter when I figure out where. I would have written about her looking and finding it, but that would have revealed who had it.**

 **19th place: Gael Orford, D10- Smooshed up by an octopus**

 **Gael had three votes and the others only had one, so I had to pick him, especially since the others were tied and I had to give Rahina a bogus vote to make a pair. Survivor often does myth challenges, and Rahina had ten memory points while Gael had three, so I picked her. Gael was never the sweetest Tribute. He knew he wanted more and he wasn't afraid of exploiting a system so rigged against him. He was shrewd and cunning, and it was mostly the fractured votes that did him in. Thanks ItsaCatsWorld for sticking around this long. Gael wasn't like the tributes you normally send, and I was grateful for something close to a villain for the tribe.**

 **PS that really was a Tongan legend. It was hard to find one that wasn't about Maui. He's cool and all, but then it would just look like a Moana reference.**


	44. P is for Potato

Manny Guerrero, D2

Two Careers were gone so far. Ruby and Charming seemed to be pretty well-situated on the golden tribe of Heilala. On my side of things, Abrexa was proving remarkably resilient. She wasn't playing up the Career angle like I'd hoped. She was doing the smart thing and keeping a low profile and at the same time quietly showing her value. If things kept on like this, my worst nightmare might come true. Out of all these worthy kids just trying to live, a Career might be the only one that came home. When I saw one of the camera guys peeking in on us from the woods, I took a welcome chance for some catharsis.

"Hey, you. _I_ got some confessions to make. Titian wants juicy gossip stuff, right? It just so happens you caught me in a bad mood. I shall now tell you everything annoying about my teammates," I said.

"First, my least favorite: Abrexa. She acts like such a quiet little penitent, but she's not fooling me. She's the same as any other Career. She wants to kill everyone on her team and everyone _not_ on her team. She's only acting nice because this time, _that's how you win._ She doesn't even have the guts to fight in the open. She's a conniving coward."

"Next we have the two from Three, Sparkil and Ash. Sparkil's your average genius inventor wonder child. Three always thinks it's so smart. Maybe the rest of us would be the same if we had access to anything more complicated than sticks and lumps of coal. As for Ash, well, at least he's not stereotypical. The stereotype is that people from Three are _smart."_

 _"_ And then there's Cain. Cain... he... okay, he really doesn't do anything for me to get mad about. He's just boring."

"Everyone wants to like Sherman. He's nice, he works around camp, and he's good in challenges. He's also a pig. He eats twice as much rice as anyone else, and he always wants to cook more. He's also clumsy. He almost crushed me once knocking branches down for our hut."

"Don't even get me started on Hannah and Bailey. It's always 'we'll win next time'. 'It's _fun_ living here'. 'No one will ever die and we'll eat sunshine and rainbows and be friends forever'. At best they're delusional. At worst they just want everyone to feel too guilty to vote for them."

"I don't think there's anything to say about Rahina that isn't already obvious."

"So that's everyone. Don't get me wrong, though. I might be carping about them today, but I usually like them. Except Abrexa. Screw her."

* * *

Potato Springfield, D11

I could write my name now. After the first word, it got easier, and it got to be kind of fun. There was a strange thrill in drawing some random shapes and knowing someone else could tell that they meant something. It was like a secret code.

"All of you write?" I asked Camellia.

"Yeah, all of us," she said. "Except maybe Charming. He's dumb."

I took a piece of bark from our pile and scratched some shapes on it with a stick of charcoal. I brought it to Charming at the fire.

"What is?" I asked as I pointed at it.

"It says 'potato'," he said, and held up one hand in confusion. I went back to Camellia.

"He write," I assured her.

"Good to know. Want to learn some more?" Camellia asked.

"Okay," I said. I already knew 'potato', 'Sammy', 'Camellia', 'Charming', 'is', 'a', and 'butthead'.

"Someday you'll have to learn grammar, but that's sort of a waste of time. As long as you get the point across," Camellia said. She made some more scratches on the sand.

"Banana," she said. She held up a banana. "Banana."

"I write," I reminded her. She didn't have to hold up the banana. If she said 'banana' I knew that was what it said. I wasn't stupid. "How write 'good'?"

"Here you go," Camellia said. "G-O-O-D." Letters were harder than words. Camellia said if I knew them I could write anything I wanted, but it was easier to learn the whole word at once.

"Now I write," I said. _Potato is good,_ I wrote.

"Well aren't we modest? But yeah, you're a good guy," Camellia said.

"No me. _Potato,"_ I said, and I drew a potato.

"Yeah, those are pretty good too," she said.

"Is good to write," I said. "You good teach me. May potato bless you."

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

"Hey, what are you up to?" I asked Hannah. It was a slow day on the island, and that meant I should work on my relationships. I should _always_ work on my relationships in this sort of game. I had some strengths, but I wasn't strong enough to win alone. We all had to collaborate to have any chance of winning. Or, barring that, to decide who was next to die.

"Eating a coconut," she said.

"I guess I should have seen that coming," I said.

"Nailed it. What are _you_ up to?" she asked.

"Giving you trouble, mostly," I said. "But really, no lie, I just came over to be friendly. It's a social game this year, so I want to be social."

"If this was Manny I'd know it was just a scheme, but you're a cool guy," Hannah said, and she made room for me to sit.

"This is all so weird. It's bad enough killing people face-to-face. This way, I don't know who I've helped to kill until they're dead, and I don't know how guilty to feel," I said.

"I know, right? Might as well have us pull a name out of a hat and see who wins. But then, we're already unlucky," she said.

"Hey... we're both outliers," I said. "Maybe we should talk about what happens if one of us wins."

"That's a good idea. A really depressing idea, but a good one," Hannah said. "I guess we sort of have motivation not to vote for each other. If I die, I'd like to know someone poor still got presents and stuff."

"We should both make sure the other one's families are taken care of, of course," I said.

"If you win, you should buy everything when you visit the other Districts on your tour," Hannah said. "Not because it would be good for me. It would just be fun to buy everything.

"If you win, you should set up a scholarship fund," I said. "I never got to go to school."

"That's rough. I didn't learn much either, but that's just because I'm dumb," Hannah said.

"Do you want a particular grave or anything?" I asked, feeling like a ghoul.

"I don't care. I'll be dead. Stick me in the woods and let the crows have me," Hannah said.

"You seem pretty laid-back about this," I said.

"I don't care about dead stuff. When that happens, well, it's too late," she said. "Did you want anything though?"

 _Now I feel silly,_ I thought. "I guess I don't care. Whatever my family wants."

"I'll come visit you," she said.

"I don't know. Isn't it bad enough I'm dead?" I asked. She blew a raspberry.

* * *

 **Time to re-hide the immunity idol! Here's your first really vague clue, to be cleared up by later clues.**

 **Clue 1: Fourteen in the set, get them all, you're on top. Skip the first nine. On the tenth, you stop.**

 **BLOOPER: Soooo Sherman can't talk to Camellia since they're on separate tribes. I have switched it to Hannah since they're most similar in temperament.**

 **BREAKING NEWS: So the idol kind of got found early. Someone who remembered my obsession with mountain climbing from Into Thin Air quickly divined that the 14 referred to the 14 8000-meter mountains and that the 10th tallest is Annapurna. Because of this insider info, I discussed plans with the finder to keep things fair. She was cool about it and says she'll use it on someone else quickly so I can rehide it.**

 **Heyyyy everyone. I just found out Winter's Writing is doing a Resurrection Games and is looking for Tributes. I wouldn't put someone in from my games myself, but I can think of a lot of people I'd like to see again if their submitters nominate them.**


	45. Miracle on Ice, but no Ice

**This one turned out shorter.**

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

I got the feeling Camellia didn't like me. She kept peeking at me as she was teaching Potato to write. When I came over, she hurriedly wiped the sand clean. I gave her a suspicious side-eye and left her for the moment.

When the time came for the next challenge, my first priority was seeing who Fonu had killed. For the most part it didn't matter, but I did want Abrexa to stay. Manny wasn't important, but Abrexa was one more real Career to add to our number. While we couldn't make a normal Career pack, we could still pool our votes and work together.

"Good morning, tribes. Heilala, take your first look at the new Fonu. Gael was eliminated at tribal council," Titian said. _Okay, that's fine._ Gael would have been difficult anyway.

"Today's challenge will require teamwork. Behind me you will see a circular track marked out on the sand. On either side are two weighted ropes. Both tribes will carry one rope, standing single file. At my signal, both tribes will begin running around the circle, chasing each other. The first tribe to touch the last member of the opposing tribe wins immunity. Losers go to tribal council, where one member will be eliminated. In addition, you'll be playing for reward." We all leaned in as he revealed the prize. "A new set of clothing for everyone in the tribe. A shirt, pants, undergarments, and socks. To keep them clean, we've added detergent and a washboard. This will help both your hygiene and your morale. Worth playing for?"

"Not fooling me this time," I heard Camellia mutter.

There was more strategy to this than it first appeared. We had to organize ourselves correctly for optimal performance. I was first, then Trent, then Ruby, Sammy, Lancia, Cross, Angora, Deme, and Potato was last.

"If you think you're going to drag us down, just drop out. It's okay," I said. It wasn't a trap, either. If someone dropping out would give us a better chance of winning, that was the best thing for them to do. I just wanted to win.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

Gymnastics was all about being lighter than air. Being weighed down was the exact opposite of everything I aimed for. It was hard enough running in a row and having to be careful not to tread on Trent or go too fast for Cross. We were stumbling with every step and our only consolation was that Fonu was doing the exact same thing.

At first both tribes went slowly. We walked at a normal pace as we both tried to figure out how best to go about this. The space between us stayed about even at both sides. Fonu surged forward suddenly and we scooted to keep pace with them, but they fell back after an exploratory effort and normality ensued.

This challenge was about teamwork, but more specifically, it was about every one of us gauging our own strengths and making the best decision for the team. No one on our team was having trouble with the weights, so no one dropped out yet. I smacked into Trent by accident and he looked over his shoulder at me.

"Excuse you," he said, but he was just teasing. The rough rope dug into my arm as we carried on in a bizarre stalemate. It was going to be a long challenge.

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6

It must have been half an hour. Neither of the teams were getting any closer to the other. I would have thought we had the advantage with so many athletic Tributes, but Fonu wasn't giving up. It wasn't just them, either- we were tired. Everyone was tired. We weren't exactly exciting viewing today.

"So, do we have a plan, or what?" I asked. The question went down the line and everyone started to discuss it.

"Let's keep going at a normal pace and wait until they get tired. We're stronger, so we can outlast them. Once they get tired, we can speed up a little," Charming said. Everyone murmured in agreement. It wasn't my ideal, but I saw the logic. I preferred to go fast at all times, but I could use my head this time.

Fonu was discussing things too. I could just barely see them by leaning over and looking past the people behind me. Ash was in front, followed by Abrexa. Sherman was holding up some slack for the smaller members, so on average, they weren't getting very tired.

Out of nowhere, there was a blur of movement behind me. I craned my neck and saw everyone but Ash and Abrexa in Fonu jump out of the way, having passed their weights to Abrexa. She shouldered the heavy load and barreled forward behind Ash, who sprinted forward at top speed straight at us. Deme saw them coming and shouted a warning.

I had to give it to them. It was a crazy bold strategy. They knew we were stronger and knew we could outlast them at this speed, so they doubled down and went all in. They passed their weights to the strongest Tribute, Abrexa, and everyone else bolted so she and Ash could make one unhindered, anaerobic sprint at us. If they didn't catch us before they lost their energy to sprint, we could easily circle around and get them. But if it did work... what an upset.

There was one other element in Fonu's plan, and it came together perfectly. Fonu had only two members, making it much easier to run. We still had ten, and their prediction came true. I reflexively darted forward, pulling at the line and dragging everyone else ahead. I hardly made any progress, since everyone else had also sprinted forward, causing us to collide with each other. Camellia and Angora were knocked to the ground in the ruckus, and Deme joined them when he tripped over Angora. Ash and Abrexa weren't really that fast under all that weight, but the track was small enough that we didn't have enough time to get back on our feet before Ash grabbed Potato by the seat of his pants. What a way to lose.

* * *

 **What an upset! I have no idea if this would really work, but it's possible. It depends on the size of the track and the weight of the weights, mostly. Sometimes you have to go big or go home.**

 **Remember to vote if you're on Heilala! As for Fonu, they can wash their filthy panties and enjoy more clothes than some of them probably had before the Games.**


	46. WELL OOPS

**I suppose you're wondering why I wrote a chapter, then deleted it right away. Here's the sitch:**

 **I always knew, since I started writing SYOTs, that eventually the day would come when I messed up so catastrophically that I had to back and undo a whole chapter. That day has come.**

 **My little sister found the immunity idol. She wanted to use it quickly because she has some inevitable amount of insider info living with me and didn't think it was fair to use it on herself. She used it on Ruby, which left Angora and Charming. In cases of a tie, I usually try to prognosticate who has the better chance of winning and save that person. Of course that's arbitrary as heck because I don't know how things will change. I do my best, but I'm about as accurate as a horoscope. Due to the large amount of recent Career winners and the reader dislike of District repeats, I thought Angora was more likely to win, so I killed Charming. HOWEVER...**

 **I see now that wasn't really fair. I both miscalculated how popular Charming was and neglected to consider the previous votes Angora had against her. This combination of immunity idols, miscalculation, and insider contact with Silver means Charming died unfairly. That's, well, not fair!**

 **Just having had this chapter up a few minutes changes everything, so it's not really possible to go back and rewrite the chapter. The only thing to do is to skip it. This happens once in a while on Survivor when they're feeling nice or whatever, so at least there's precedent. Next chapter shall go into a new challenge and this council will have never happened in the story (Fonu can keep the clothes tho since they're really innocent in all this)**

 **I'm going to figure out some other reward for Silver and put the idol back into circulation. Usually it would have been fair for her to look, but she happens to know I'm obsessed with mountains.**

 **One very important note: No one was being dramatic or whiny about this. Charming absolutely did get cheated, and I'd be mad if it happened to me. It is the right thing to do to address this. It may be just a fanfiction, but I'll be darned if it isn't the fairest one ever written.**

 **Enjoy this POV so we don't break any rules.**

 **Titian Qin**

I held up a hairbrush as I primped in front of my mirror back at my quarters for the duration of the Games.

"Heyyyy, who's _that_ handsome man? No wonder you're head Gamemaker. Galba couldn't resist those razor cheekbones and those piercing brown eyes! I should be the Victor _every year!"_


	47. If growed-ups can wear diapees

**I did one POV and then the next challenge just so we wouldn't have a million chapters.**

 **Immunity Idol's back in, baby! I'll be doing something for my sister, but it won't be as big as immunity since she's my sister. In full disclosure, I must explicitly state Camellia IS technically eligible to win this year since it's a vote and I don't decide.**

 **Anyway, super vague first clue: To ensure your place in the final 10, search the books for a capitol wren.**

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, D1

They were coming for me. I'd spent enough time with Abrexa to know. I saw it in the way their voices went up a note when they saw me coming. I saw it in the way everyone else was relaxed as we walked to tribal council. They didn't have to be afraid, because they'd come together and made their decision. Charming knew it was him or me, and he'd used his golden looks and silver tongue to sway them.

It was too late, then. Too late for me to win. All I had time to do was make peace.

"Hey," I said late that night, signaling the confession cameraman closer to our pow-wow around the fire.. "I got something to say. Something that will make your hair stand on end." My tribemates looked up in interest. It was rare I said that many words in order. Wait until they saw what came next.

"I'm not what you'd call an expressive person. That's probably why you picked me to vote out. I'm cold, heartless, an too strong to trust. Truth is, I wasn't always like this," I started. Some of my tribemates looked away in annoyance at a last-ditch sob story, and other leaned closer in morbid interest.

"You heard my interview. You know I lost two of my best friends. That wasn't the whole story, though. Most people blamed the disgruntled ex-Academy student who killed them, but I knew whose fault it was. Mal and Kyan died because I wasn't fast enough. Mal faced someone twice his size to give me the time to get help, and it was all for nothing. I spent a long time thinking the wrong person died, and I'm still not sure I'm wrong." Everyone else was silent, even Titian. Miracles never cease.

"That's a pretty big load to carry when you're thirteen. I looked everywhere for something to drown out the guilt, and I found it in a bottle. I was already hard enough to live with, and Mom had enough stress without me making it worse. She made one mistake and we both went to jail, me for underage drinking and her for the bruise on my cheek. Jail taught me more about survival than the Academy ever could, and that's where I lost my smile for good."

"No one likes a Career. We don't even like each other. This doesn't make me innocent. Really it makes me worse, since I know exactly how my victims feel. I do hope it's something of an explanation, though. After what happened to me, the most comforting thing in the world for me to believe is that life is worthless and that killing isn't wrong." I took out my luxury item and set it on the bench next to me. "Eventually we'll vote again. Once we're done, you can all have this. The genuine diary of a killer. For better or for worse, you'll know who I am."

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

Our next challenge was on the beach again. There was a platform in the water with two big, soft-looking pads on it. Both pads were about four feet long and a foot and a half wide. One was red and the other was green. Obviously, they were important.

"Today's challenge is one of strength and attrition. On my go, two opponents will pick up the padded staffs and attempt to push their opponent off the platform, which is fixed, and into the water. Tribes may use the pads or any part of their body except the hands. This time, the pairings are not random. Opponents have been selected based on size and relative strength. First tribe to win five matches wins the challenge. Losers will go to tribal council. In addition, you'll be playing for reward. Today's reward: a fully stocked outhouse. Survival shower and hygiene supplies are included with this structure, which will be built at the winner's camp. Worth playing for?"

"No _poop,_ Sherlock!" Camellia shouted. No poop indeed.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1 (Opponent: Sherman)

They only picked Sherman because he was the only Fonu member who was my size. He may have been my size, but I had the training. I knew all the moves and all the angles. I got into stance, and Sherman stayed at a distance, too cautious to attack. When I made my move, I did it in a calculated, learned fashion, and he was in the water before he knew what hit him.

 _Heilala 1, Fonu 0_

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, D1 (Opponent: Abrexa)

We were both trained, but Abrexa had the drive. She'd had to fight for every second on the island, where I'd been okay up until the last bit. She knew how to claw up from rock bottom and take every scrap of hope. We were equally matched in strength, and in the end, Abrexa outlasted me. It was something she was good at.

 _Heilala 1, Fonu 1_

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9 (Opponent: Sparkil)

I couldn't let my tribe down. We couldn't go to three tribal councils in a row. Sammy had the athletic training. She was better at dodging than perhaps anything else. But this time, we had to meet eventually if either of us wanted to win.

When we did meet, neither of us knew what to do. We shoved each other back and forth and I fell right on my butt at one point. I scrambled up before Sammy could press her advantage, and that's when I had the idea.

Titian had specified that the first person to hit the water lost the bout. In Fonu, we were nothing if not good at thinking outside the box. Sammy was standing near the edge of the platform, having pushed herself back in the effort of pushing me down. I launched myself onto her in a kamikaze attack, tipping up both over the edge and into the water. I prayed she didn't think fast enough to flip us over. Luckily, the water was too close. We both ended up clinging to our pads for buoyancy, but I alone floated in triumph.

 _Heilala 1, Fonu 2_

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6 (Opponent: Sparkil)

This challenge was made for me. Balance was my life. Sparkil was smart, and I couldn't underestimate her, but I had the advantage. I pretended I was having more trouble than I really was and didn't tire myself out as I let her push me toward the side. When we were right at the edge, I pivoted so she had to skirt the edge herself to stay parallel with me. Then it was just a matter of twisting, turning, and flirting with disaster until one of us leaned just a little too far and ended up wet. Of course, it was Sparkil.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 2_

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6 (Opponent: Ash)

They had to pick Ash. _Anyone_ else I could have beaten. Ash and I were practically twins. We were both goofy, athletic boys. In the end, it was practically a crapshoot. We batted each other from one end of the platform to the other, first one and then the other looking like the winner.

Naturally, we went in together. We both hit each other at the same time and locked pads, both leaning in. Our momentum carried us just a bit to the side, and we both pitched into the water. As luck would have it, I hit first.

"Hey man, we really tied," Ash said as we floated on our pads. He offered a fist, which I bumped. I might be dead, but at least we were good sports.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 3_

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

Someone screwed up. Maybe Bailey was the closest thing to a good partner for me, but she was still way stronger. And _wow_ that girl had a scary "competition" face! When she shoved me into the water, I was just glad to be away from her.

 _Heilala 2, Fonu 4_

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8 (Opponent: Cain)

I felt bad fighting Cain. I could tell he was worried he'd hurt me. I was worried about the same thing, and we struck at each other halfheartedly and gently, like a pair of fighting pandas.

 _Let's just get this over with,_ I thought. I shoved my pad suddenly into his chest, knocking him onto his backside. As he was still looking up at me in shock, I pushed the pad against him again, sliding him backwards into the water.

 _Yay me... I guess._

 _Heilala 3, Fonu 4_

* * *

Rahina Herrington (Opponent: Deme)

 _BullCRAP! BULLCRAP!_

"Fair opponents" my BUTT! Deme was twice my size! Lucky for me I still had some tricks up my sleeve.

Deme was hesitant to attack at first. He'd come to the same realization I had: he was a _lot_ bigger than me. He came to the opposite conclusion, though. He was obviously afraid of hurting me, while I was worried about how exactly to defeat him.

Deme raised his pad in defense when I suddenly knelt one on leg and used my pad to scoop some water onto the platform. I backed to the edge like I was going to run at him, leaving myself open for one quick push into the water. When Deme came over to make that non-harmful attack, I crouched and jumped forward at his legs. He tripped over me and landed in the puddle I'd made. Quick as a cat, I flipped onto my back and jammed my foot against his backside, pushing him through the conveniently slippery puddle and into the water. Sometimes David beats Goliath.

"Fonu wins the fifth bout! Fonu wins immunity and reward!"

* * *

 **Heilala had one more member so I picked Fonu to win this time. My sister's on vacation at the moment, but she's given me permission from the start to use her vote for whatever's best for the story if she's gone. Since I know the votes might be close this time, Camellia will vote with the majority.**

 **I left Ruby's POV in because no lie I really liked the writing and didn't want it to go to waste.**


	48. Fifth Tribal Council For Real

**A lot of you guessed the Wren Building, which was super erudite but beyond my knowledge. In other words, I didn't even know that was a thing until people guessed it. However, someone else correctly guessed it was at St. Paul's Cathedral, which was built by Christopher Wren.**

 **Bonus note: I added a wiki page for Titian since he's so larger-than-life. It's at** **htt p:(slash slash)ladycordeliastuart(hyphen)vanity(hyphen) .co m(slash)wik i(slash)Titian_Qin**

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

This wasn't going to be an easy vote. There were two main factions in our tribe this week, and I was sure none of us felt good about our votes. I knew I didn't.

"After a short reprieve, here we are again," Titian said. "It must get harder each week, what with all the bonding and getting to know each other. Comments?"

"Is it not dramatic enough we're voting to kill someone? What could we do that would be more dramatic?" Sammy asked.

"You know what? Let's talk about that. I think some of us are voting based on who we want gone. We have to vote on who we want to stay so our tribe is stronger and we don't _have_ to vote," Ruby said.

"Who's that supposed to mean?" Cross asked.

"You know who I'm talking about. The only one of us who has never been of any help in a single challenge," Ruby said, and her eyes shifted to Potato.

"You can't vote for him! He's not even... he's not _right,"_ Camellia burst out. My breath started to get short, and I felt my hands tensing into fists as I tried to keep my temper down.

"We have to do it eventually. Unless you're ready to die for him," Ruby said. When Camellia hesitated, she pressed on. "See? You're not ready to go that far. You just want someone else to kill him."

"Leave her alone!" Sammy said, and she threw her arms around Camellia. I tried to direct my thoughts to something else so I wouldn't think of what I wanted to do to Ruby.

"There I am again, being the bad guy. If that's the only way to keep our team strong, that's what I'll have to be. Goodness knows I'm used to it," Ruby said.

"She's just being logical. We don't have room for dead weight," Charming said. Potato saw how upset Camellia and Sammy were and moved to their side. Charming and Ruby smiled at him like circling predators.

" _Leave him alone!"_ I shouted as I shot to my feet. "Just _shut up!"_

"Is there a problem?" Charming asked.

"There's gonna be!" I said as I stuck my finger at him. Lancia got between us and put her arms out.

"It's okay, Deme. He'll be okay," she said. Charming got ready for another barb, but he thought better of it. He knew if I started a fight, I was the one that would be punished, quite possibly with death. The fear in Lancia's eyes showed she had the same idea, and her concern for me was what calmed me down.

"Just make your vote and try to remember what it was like to have a soul," I said to Charming.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

I thought Deme was going to die. I thought Titian was going to kill him right there like a mad dog. We hadn't even voted, and I was already emotionally exhausted. I only hoped there weren't any surprises in the votes. I felt sick to my stomach when I remembered what Deme said about souls.

"Once the votes are counted the decision is final," Titian said. "Our first vote is for Ruby." Ruby poked a stick at the fire and sent up a shower of sparks. "Potato." Deme's head snapped up. "Ruby. Potato. Ruby. Potato. Ruby. Trent*. Ruby. Potato. Potato. Our duelists are Ruby and Potato. Last vote is for Lancia*."

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, D1

Good news and bad news. The bad news was I was in a sudden death duel. The good news was I was against Potato. Unless it was a potato-eating contest, I was in the clear.

Titian led us toward two odd-looking gizmos suspended from ropes within bamboo frames in such a way that we could tilt them in any direction. As we got closer, I saw the doohickeys were mazes. There were tiny barriers marking out the paths of the maze, as well as holes at random locations. In the center of the maze, there was a painted star. On the edge, there was a small wooden ball.

"This duel is simple: get your ball to the center of the maze. Guide your ball through the maze by tilting it any way you want. If your ball goes through a hole, you must start again. First person to get your ball to the center wins. The loser is eliminated," Titian said.

* * *

Potato Springfield, D11

I didn't know what to make of the weird thing in front of me. Ruby was pushing and pulling hers, so I started to do the same. The balls rolled along a path, which fascinated and amused me. I started to shove the maze one way and another, giggling as the ball rolled all over the place. Then it fell through a hole. I was worried it was lost, but it just rolled back to the starting point.

"Potato! Potato!" two familiar voices were yelling. I looked up to see what Sammy and Camellia wanted.

"Put the ball on the star! _You have to get it to the star!"_ they shouted, pointing at the yellow shape in the middle of the maze.

 _Okay._ I picked the ball up out of the maze and set it on the star. _There you go!_

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, D1

It was a slaughter. I didn't even have to hurry, though I was anyway. Even if I had been a bloodthirsty Career, there would be no joy in this. I just wanted it done.

"No, no, no," Titian said somewhere behind me. I peeked over my shoulder and saw him walk to Potato's maze and fish his ball out, setting it back at the center. If anyone else had done it, he probably would have disqualified them, but it was all the same in Potato's case. Titian would rather just let me finish and save himself the trouble.

It wasn't a particularly difficult maze. The tension would have come from two people trying to do it quickly and making mistakes. Since I had all the time I needed, I carefully guided the ball through the maze and made it to the star without even any false starts. I didn't celebrate or look at Potato when I finished. I dropped the maze and dropped my eyes.

* * *

Potato Springfield, D11

The ground opened up under me, and I thought I must have stepped on a sinkhole. It was a big sinkhole, and I fell all the way under the ground before I stopped. Something poked into me when I hit bottom, and I was all wet suddenly. It was hard to breathe, but it didn't really hurt. I tried to get up, but I couldn't move.

 _I've been chosen,_ I realized. I couldn't move because I was becoming a plant. The ground opened me up so I could be buried like a seed. Soon it would close over me and I would start to grow back up to the sunlight like all the other plants. I already had roots keeping me from moving. Sammy and Camellia would water me and I'd give them fruit when I saw them again. I hoped I became a potato, or if not, a banana tree. Camellia liked those.

* * *

 **It was a tie this time, so I put Camellia's vote for Trent as a bogus vote.**

 **19th place: Potato Springfield- fell into spike pit**

 **It was a tie, but I knew Potato didn't have a real chance and also that his submitter expected him dead long before now and had accepted it. Every once in a while I get a weird Tribute, and they're always fun. Some writers don't like them, so I think of myself as a haven. Potato made a lot of himself for what he started with. He learned to read, made friends, and left a permanent mark on everyone in Heilala. No one is proud of voting for him, but it was inevitable. Thanks to Snowstar for a truly unforgettable Tribute.**

 **That weird chapter title last time was from an episode of Rugrats where the boys were mad that girls can wear pants and sumo wrestlers can wear diapers but boys can't wear dresses. It always stuck with me because they were so right.**


	49. Whose Idea Was This?

Camellia Spruce, D7

 _"Potato!"_ I screamed, but there was nothing I could do. I had to sit and watch him die. It was like seeing my little brother bleed out while someone held me in place ten feet away. _He doesn't even know! He doesn't know how to do it! He doesn't even know what will happen..._ He looked up at me with a smile as he picked the ball out of the maze again.

"I put on star," he assured me, and then the ground fell out from under him. I screamed again as he fell. Whatever horrible thing was in the pit, I prayed it was fast.

He was gone. In the blink of an eye, it was too late to ever make it right. Nothing would ever bring Potato back. Sammy and I hugged each other and cried.

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

I had no idea how nice it would feel to put on new clothes until I did it. It was just a green t-shirt and some thin shorts, but they felt like silk. I felt like a beautiful, light-as-air pixie.

"This is gross, but I'm really happy to have new underwear," Hannah said as she, Cain and I washed our old clothes in beach water. Cain blushed and looked away.

"Oh, sorry. I guess you thought I didn't wear any," Hannah teased. Cain dropped his shirt in the water and had to fish it out before it drifted away with the current.

"I only had two bras at home. Now I have _double_ that," I said. Apparently boobs were better than what lurked beneath, since Cain didn't mind that part.

"It seems like this Games is going to last a lot longer than most," Hannah said.

"Yeah. We could be out here for two months," I said.

"Who do you think is going to go next?" Hannah asked. We all knew it would kill the mood, but we also knew it had to come eventually.

"I would have thought Abrexa, but she's really important to have around," I said.

"She's not really mean, either," Hannah said.

"Rahina's the mean one," I said.

"I didn't want to say anything," Cain said.

"Sparkil's really smart. Maybe people will be scared of her," Hannah said.

"I hope it's not Ash. He's cool," Cain said.

We'd all come into this thinking it would go down based on obvious strategies- either the weakest or the least popular. To really play the game right was much more complicated than that. It was voting out the weakest but making sure there was always one person weaker than yourself. It was voting out the smartest without plotting to do so with anyone who might tell them and turn it against you. The nicest people were the easiest votes, but they might just as easily be persuaded again by someone else. It wasn't a game of musical chairs. It was a game of Risk.

* * *

Cain Pander, D5

When we next met Titian, he was standing in front of a giant maze constructed of bamboo poles with cloth stretched between them.

"Good morning, tribes. Fonu, take your first look at the new Heilala tribe. Potato was voted out at tribal council." _They really did it._ They voted to kill a developmentally disabled kid. They didn't look proud, either.

"Today's challenge is all about intuition. On my signal, you will enter the maze and attempt to find your way through. Sounds pretty easy, right? Well, you'll be blindfolded." There was a chorus of groans. "Each stretch of the maze has raised arrows indicating which way to go. You must find the arrows and use your fingers to feel which way they point. On the way, you'll also have to be careful not to get turned around or to run into anyone else. First Tribute through wins the challenge for their team. In addition, you'll be playing for reward. Today-" he removed a tablecloth from a table- "we thought of your stomachs. I have here a table covered in donuts. Frosted donuts, sprinkled donuts, glazed donuts. Every kind of donut you could possibly want. Worth playing for?"

"I donut deny it," Camellia said. Titian was by then used to her and just rolled his eyes.

"Everyone gather at the entrance and we'll begin."

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

This was a bad idea. This was a terribly-designed challenge. There were twenty of us jammed into a tunnel meant for more than one person but definitely not meant for twenty. Hardly any of us could even feel the wall- most were jammed between one person or another. I stuck out an arm and hit something soft.

"Paws off, pervert!" came Angora's voice.

"Oh, sorry," I said. I scooted to one side, nudging another Tribute aside in my quest for the wall. I bumped into something hard and hoped it was the wall. I put out an arm and started sliding it along the wall, hitting other arms more often than bamboo. When I felt the raised arrow, I followed its point and started on my way.

Angora Chenille, D8

I gave up trying to find the arrow right away. Instead I trained my ears on the others. There was a big scuffle all around me, and there was one noise off by itself. I took the cheater's way out and followed the loner. I bonked into the side of the maze trying to get through the door, but once I was through, the corridor was empty. I was able to reach out and find the arrow right away. Two of us were in the lead now, and I hoped the other one was on my team.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

I was all by myself. That was either really good or really-

 _BONK_

Bad. _Dead end..._

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

We were starting to split off into two groups now. A bunch of us were still stuck at the entrance. I could hear them scuffling and moving around. The others were farther ahead at various points in the maze. After taking one wrong turn and finding my way back, I was somewhere in the middle. On the bright side, I was far enough behind the front-runners that I didn't have to worry about them being in the way as I tried to find the arrow. I was catching up pretty quick, too.

I felt like a baby learning to walk as I stumbled around blind. Everything was uncertain and treacherous. I didn't know if I was in the clear or about to ram full-speed into a wall. We were twenty bulls in a china shop.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

The most frustrating thing about the challenge was not knowing where everyone else was. Someone else could be about to win and I'd still be feeling through the last leg of the maze like a total loser. I would have set up a communication line for my tribe, but it was hard to tell who all was within hearing distance, what with the crush of humanity around me. I just had to keep moving forward at top speed.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

My strategy was to hug the wall and scoot sideways along it at all times. That way I wouldn't have to worry about rushing forward and hitting the wall. I wasn't sure, but I thought I was ahead of most of the others. I could hear someone coming up behind me, but I didn't hear anyone ahead of me. That meant I was either the only one on a wrong trail, or I was in the lead.

I reached up and felt another raised message. It was all over the place, and I realized it wasn't an arrow. It was letters, and I suspected it said "dead end". All the same, I felt over the raised shapes and made out and E. That was promising, since it was the first letter and not the fifth. I felt the rest.

 _E...X...I...T_

 _Hot dog, it's the exit!_ After the message, there was one last arrow pointing to the left. I lurched forward, found the door, and stumbled into an open area.

"Cross is out of the maze! Heilala wins the challenge and the reward!"

* * *

 **I wanted to keep moving, since this will take forever otherwise. Make sure to vote if you're in Fonu!**


	50. Take A Third Option

Ash Summers, D3

Being on the island turned us into a bunch of werewolves. Most of the time, we got along well and even had fun. The second tribal council came, though, the full moon came out. We turned into backstabbing, calculating monsters, ready to gang up and eat anyone else as long as we weren't the one under the pile.

"Do you have any regrets that you won the prize challenge but lost the immunity challenge?" Titian asked.

"Yes," Sparkil said. Titian's face scrunched up as he controlled his temper.

"Tell me, how are you deciding who to vote for?" he asked.

"I think we're all trying to keep it business and not personal," Bailey said.

"Obviously," Abrexa said.

"Not gonna lie, I've been mostly voting for someone I think no one else will vote for," Cain said.

"They called that a 'throwaway' on the old show," Titian said. "Completely legal. But shouldn't you be trying to get rid of someone who's trying to get rid of you?"

"What if we make a mistake and kill someone who didn't do anything?" Hannah asked.

"Everyone but one will die eventually. The order's not really important," Bailey said.

"I don't even like to dwell on it. I like to just vote and move forward," I said. Call me a meathead, but fixating on something like this would only cause insanity.

"Yeah, it's not something we talk about much," Sherman said.

"Just a necessary evil," Bailey said, like we all didn't know what the evil was.

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3

"Once the votes are counted, the decision is final," Titian said. "Rahina. Sherman. Bailey*. Abrexa*." He unfolded one slip and the smile of a delighted fox sharpened his face. He set it aside, leaving us all confused. "Cain. Sparkil. Manny. Cain. Manny. Cain and Manny will be the participants in our next duel. However... first, we have something to address." He took the slip he'd set aside and flipped it toward us, exposing a blank sheet of paper.

"It seems someone has decided not to vote. Unlike a throwaway, this _is_ against the rules." Titian seemed to crackle with excited energy, which was the scariest thing that could happen from him. We all knew was Titian was like. If he was happy, something terrible was about to happen. Those closest to him on the benches scooted back as we waited for the storm.

"I have a good idea of who this was, since I'm familiar with your handwriting by now. However, that won't be necessary. We have cameras on the voting table. It will be easy to review them and reveal the miscreant," Titian said. He hadn't looked so happy in weeks. Someone had given him all the drama and excitement he'd hoped for from the start.

"You don't have to," Cain said. "It was me."

* * *

Cain Pander, D5

"Is there a problem. Did the pen perhaps go dry?" Titian asked facetiously.

"No," Cain said.

"Did you perhaps momentarily forget how to write?" Titian went on.

"I didn't vote," Cain said.

"Obviously. This _is_ a problem," Titian said.

"I'm not voting anymore. I'm done picking someone to die," Cain said. I was looking more and more like that picture Lily drew. I wasn't going to let it become real.

"I'm afraid it's not optional. And we're certainly in a tight spot now. We can't well have you vote after the other votes have been read. A re-vote would be much the same problem. I can't bump you into the duel, since you're already voted in. Whatever will we do?" Titian asked. There was a charge in the air connecting Titian and me, and it saturated the air around the rest of us as well. Most of my tribemates were still as death, not wanting to attract Titian's laser attention to themselves.

"I'm not picking someone to die," I said.

"You already have," Titian said. His hand went to his pocket and he took out a handgun. He grinned as he shot me.

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

I'd never seen someone get shot so close to me before. Cain's head snapped back, carrying his body with it backwards off the log. Blood poured from his head like a cracked bucket. I'd always thought it would stop quicker than that. I didn't know there was even that much blood in the body. Hannah and Sherman screamed, while Abrexa looked at the scene with clinical interest. Rahina had a death glare zeroed in on Titian. As for me, felt a mixture of admiration for Cain's bravery, incredulity at his stupidity, and gratefulness for what it meant for me.

"Rule-breaking results in elimination. Because of this, the duel will not be necessary. Manny, I'm sure this is a relief," Titian said. There was no blood on his still beatifically smiling face, but I got the feeling he'd be happier if there was.

"This concludes tribal council. The rest of you may return to camp."

* * *

 **Usually on Survivor if you muck up your vote, Jeff just gets super pissed and bawls you out. Titian has not his restraint.**

 **18th place: Cain Pander- shot by Titian**

 **Cain's submitter thought this would be a good way to go if he was about to get voted out, so I waited until it happened and went for it. Cain wouldn't have known about Titian's previous encounter with Lyte, but he probably would have done the same even if he had. When confronted with an ongoing erosion of his morals, Cain drew a line and didn't budge. He was the exact sort of person the Capitol couldn't stand, and that's why he died. Sparkhat, you pulled off a non-gameplay elimination, which doesn't happen much in the Hunger Games. Mostly it's just you and Titus, for the exact opposite reasons.**


	51. Note

Titian Qin

 _Almost time to go out there. Remember, be_ mean! _Be_ fierce! _Show those kids who's boss!_ I'm _the boss. My parents should have named me_ Titan. _I don't even like Titian._

 **I just came here to tell everyone I'm working six night shifts in a row to take over for a coworker so that's why I haven't been writing. I'm already two nights in though, so the end is nearer.**


	52. 3, 2, 1, Go

**GUESS WHO'S BACK FROM WORK!**

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

"Hey, everyone watching. I'm Angora, and this is my luxury item," I said, holding up my notebook. Heilala had been doing a series where we all talked about our items for Confession Cam, and it was my turn. "It's a notebook. I guess that's obvious. I use it to draw designs for dresses. I forgot my pencil, but Ruby let me use hers. I'll show you some of the designs." I flipped to one of the pages.

"This one's pretty fancy. I doubt I'd ever actually make this one, but it's fun to design. It's a sundress, so I made it out of cotton voile. You'd have to wear a camisole under it, or else if you actually stand in the sun you'll look naked. It's cream colored for a summery look, and it would be best worn with a floppy hat." I fanned through the pages. "The rest look similar. They're different styles and everything, but a similar overall look."

"Next we're supposed to say why we chose this item. I like to draw, so that's one reason. Drawing is very emotional, and it helps me get all my feelings out without hurting anyone. It also reminds me of home, since I worked in my family's sewing shop. Sometimes we used my designs, so if this looks familiar to anyone in the Capitol, it might be the same stuff. It's not the most useful luxury item, but it's nice to have. I guess we could have used the paper for our fire, but I'm glad we didn't."

"I guess that's everything. This has been Luxury Items With Heilala. Hope you enjoyed the confession."

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

Our next challenge looked to be a physical one. Those were always good for us. There were three wooden triangular ramps at intervals across the clearing. At the starting line, there was a large wooden crate for each team.

"Good morning, tribes," Titian said. "Heilala, take your first look at the new Fonu. Cain was eliminated." Even though I'd hardly known Cain, I was sorry to see him go. He seemed like a really nice guy. Fonu didn't look very happy, either. None of them looked like they'd gotten any sleep.

"Let's get to today's challenge. At my signal, you will run across the field and over a series of three ramps, picking up a coil of rope at each ramp. You cannot advance to the next ramp until every tribe member is over it. At the end of the field, you will attach your ropes into one long rope. Three of you will then run back to the start and collect your crate. You will carry it to the ramps and use the rope to pull it over them. First tribe to get your crate across the finish line wins the challenge and the reward, which you will find in the crate. Losers will go to tribal council, where someone will be eliminated."

We had one more tribe member than Fonu, so we got to sit someone out. We picked Angora- not because she was slow or weak, but because we had to pick someone and she seemed the least outdoorsy. The rest of us got in a line at the start and waited for the signal.

As soon as the challenge started, it became apparent how great our advantage was. Trent, me, Ruby, Charming, and Cross all had some experience with either running, climbing, or both. We reached the first ramp far ahead of Fonu and rocketed over it. The ramp was maybe ten feet high and steep enough to make it difficult if you couldn't reach the planks nailed into it as climbing aids. Camellia had a little trouble, but Deme just picked her up by the back of the shirt like a kitten and lifted her over the top. I, of course, felt just like I was back at home doing a routine. It was almost fun vaulting over the ramps and sticking the landing. Trent seemed to be similarly enjoying himself. He caught my eye and raised his eyebrows, and our own tiny race was on.

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

Lancia and Trent were haing too much fun. Titian kept flagging them down and reminding them not to start until the rest of their tribemates got across the ramp half a minute behind them. Unfortunately, they could afford to enjoy themselves. They were an entire ramp ahead of me and the rest of Fonu, and it didn't look like that was about to change. I would have been up with them if I hadn't had to wait for my teammates. As I stood at the bottom of the ramp biding my time, I watched them race it out and mentally took bets.

Lancia took a flying, acrobatic leap over the top of the last ramp, giving her an instant's lead on Trent. But while she was more agile, he was faster, and he quickly caught up. They leaped over the finish line in a dead heat and triumphantly belly-slammed each other while waiting for their teammates. As Fonu was crossing the third ramp, Heilala's last member- Camellia- heaved over the finish line. As soon as she did, Ruby, Charming and Trent sprinted back across the field and grabbed their crate. The last of the Fonus got across the finish as Heilala was halfway across the field.

Abrexa, Ash and I were the runners for Fonu. We took off with Abrexa and Ash in the lead and me straggling a few feet behind. We got to the crate and heaved at it experimentally. It was heavier than it looked, but not so heavy we couldn't carry it. We got it up between us and waddled sideways to the first ramp. Ash tied the ropes together and tossed the new rope over the ramp to where Abrexa and I were waiting. We started to pull as Ash ran over the ramp to help us. I could hear the waiting tribemates on both side cheering for their tribes. Heilala was louder, since they were in the lead. They kept the lead all across the field, but we matched their pace and didn't fall any farther behind.

"Last push, everyone!" Ash yelled at the final ramp. We all threw ourselves into it and yanked the crate so hard it almost launched off the ramp. It slid onto the sand as Heilala picked theirs up for the final run. They were only ten feet ahead of us, but there was hardly any room between us and the finish line. There just wasn't enough room.

" _THROW!"_ Ash yelled out of nowhere. Abrexa and I looked at him for an instant, then realized his intent. We hefted the crate and launched it forward as one. It sailed five feet ahead of us, passing Heilala and landing just across the finish line. The Heilala three stopped across the line and started to celebrate.

"What was that?" Titian asked before he announced the winner.

"You said 'first to get the crate across'. You didn't say we had to be there, too," Ash said. Titian, who had his hands up ready to congratulate Heilala, put them back down in wonder.

"Is that...?" He looked around for a referee, then remembered _he_ was the referee. "You got me there. Fonu wins challenge and reward!" The Heilala members had been slapping hands and pulling at their crate, and they looked up in confusion. Charming came over to investigate and Titian started to explain as we cracked open our crate.

 _"_ _Rocks?_ What a rip!" Rahina said when we revealed a bunch of bags full of rocks.

"That was just to make it heavy. Keep looking," Bailey said. Sherman eventually picked out a bag that clinked instead of clattering. He poured it out.

"Ooh, spices!" Hannah said. We had salt, sugar, pepper, and a whole mess of other things I didn't recognize and had probably never tasted.

"Now the fish won't taste all gross and fishy," Bailey said.

"Victory is sweet," Sparkil added.

* * *

 **There Fonu goes again. This time I actually didn't plan the unconventional victory. I forgot I was supposed to have Fonu win since Heilala won last time so I wrote Heilala winning. I was too lazy to change the whole chapter so I just changed the ending.**

 **Make sure to vote if you're in Heilala. I think I probably know who's going, but one never knows...**


	53. Tribal Council I Don't Know What

Sammy Voltage, D5

I felt like a rat. If we were voting to kick someone out because they were messing up challenges and dragging us down, I wouldn't feel so guilty. Instead, we'd banded together to get someone out because we thought they could beat us. It didn't seem fair. But then, normal Games weren't fair either. This time they were unfair in our favor, and it turned out we were no better than the Careers.

"Good evening, Heilala. That was a very interesting challenge. Any comment on the way things turned out?" Titian asked.

"Yeah. It was bullcrap," Trent said.

"We gotta start thinking more. I feel like an idiot," I said.

"We'd have won if they followed the rules," Cross said.

" _We'd_ have won if we _listened_ to the rules," Angora said.

"Any dissension toward the people carrying the crate?" Titian asked.

"If it gets everyone off _my_ back," Deme said.

"I don't think anyone could get mad at you. You pretty much tossed me across the field," Camellia said.

"Maybe we should be mad at the one who needed to be carried," Ruby said.

"Hey, man," Camellia said, holding out her hands bemusedly.

"We have to keep using our heads and doing what's best for the tribe. And ourselves," Charming said.

"Right. So let's do it," Ruby said.

I felt like I was shooting myself in the foot as I crouched before the voting station. I had to stay true to my alliances, but it all felt dirty. The point of an alliance was to help each other stay alive, and the whole reason we made alliances here was to band together and kill someone. In a normal Games, I could have stayed away from other people and kept my hands clean until I almost inevitably died. This way I had a better chance of living, but less chance of being able to live with myself.

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, D1

I couldn't say I would be surprised by the votes. Someone had it in for me, and I suspected I knew who it was. Someone who wanted to beat me and didn't think he could do it fairly. A Career who preferred to hide behind others and claim the benefits of victory without putting in the work. The worst part of it all was how unfair it was. We weren't being tested on our skills or preparation. It was popularity and luck. And goodness knows I was never lucky.

"Once read, the votes are final," Titian said. "Ruby. Ruby. Ruby. Angora. Trent*. Lancia*. Ruby. Our first dueler is Ruby, with five votes. That's enough. Last vote. The second person who will be dueling Ruby is Angora."

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

 _Why me?_ I hadn't done anything. I wasn't a threat, but I also wasn't holding us back. I was purely in the middle.

I knew what happened. One vote for me was Ruby's, and the other had been someone who didn't want to vote for anyone and thought I wouldn't get picked. It was just luck that landed me in the bottom. Ruby wasn't very lucky, though, so maybe I had a chance.

Titian led us to a pair of concrete slabs laid out on the sand. There were two piles of thick, square ceramic tiles next to the piles, and two stepladders on the slabs.

"Before you, you see two piles of tiles and two stepladders," Titian narrated. "In this challenge, you'll be building a simple tower of cards using the tiles. There are no rules to what design you use, but be aware you have a limited number of tiles. The first person whose tower reaches thirty-five feet wins the challenge. The loser is eliminated."

It wasn't as high as it sounded, since the tiles were maybe two feet by two feet. I could see what the ladders were for, though. Thirty-five feet was still a long way up.

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, D1

I didn't want it to end like this. I wanted to go home and see my mother again. She'd been making such great progress when I left. I'd hoped that some time away from me would let her focus on recovery, and that when I came back, we could enjoy my victory together. It wasn't fair for it to end over a house of cards. What did I know about cards? I spent my days training. I didn't have time for games. Those would come after I won.

I fitted four of the tiles together to make a square, then added another tile to the top for a roof. It was a simple design, and it should work all the way up. Obviously the tiles were sturdy enough to be able to stack. The challenge was about our balance. Careers trained in that. It just wasn't my main focus.

After stacking five levels, I fumbled a tile and the stack toppled. I took a deep breath as I started again. Angora was working carefully. I could catch up. Careers were cautious, but we also took risks. The only way to win was by risking everything. I started gaining on her, so she was at seven layers when I was at five. If the tiles were two feet square, like they looked, it was eighteen layers to the top. I had a long way to catch up.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

I had one advantage. Back home, we used to sit around playing cards at night. It was cheap, easy, and a lot of people could play. Sometimes, when I was the only one playing, I built card houses. When I started out, I build triangles, but along the way I learned that the best way was to make squares with each tile sticking out a little so they all leaned on each other and kept each other up. With that structure, I could make three or four story houses. I'd never made eighteen layers before, but it was just a matter of having more cards.

The ladder shifted under me and my heart stopped when my arm hit my tower. Only two stories toppled, and I almost cried. Two stories was nothing. I was still barely ahead of Ruby- I had ten and she had nine. The tiles were easy to place and heavy enough to be steady. I just had to keep my head, stay at the same pace, and win.

* * *

Ruby Lalonde, D1

My tower swayed as I placed another story on it. It didn't matter how straight it was. At this height, a tower that narrow just wasn't sound. Angora was having the same problem with hers. I steadied my tower until it finally stopped moving, counting each second I wasn't able to build. I knew she was hoping my tower would fall just as much as I hoped the same for her. Just one disaster, and I'd be in the clear.

"It's neck and neck! Angora and Ruby both approaching the 35-foot mark. They are a _long_ way up. They better not look down," Titian commented. I hadn't even thought about how I was also 35 feet up. I wasn't overly fond of ladders, but I did what I had to.

It was hard not to despair as I saw Angora still a story ahead of me. Just three stories left, and I'd be at the top. I had to think outside the box. I placed a single tile on top of my tower in the middle, then balanced another on top of it. Two more, and I'd win. Angora didn't look up, so she didn't see what I was doing. I stacked another tile on top of the wavering stack, and it tumbled off immediately. I froze as it hit the body of the tower, knocking the other two single-stacked tiles down on the way. The tower trembled when they landed flat, but it stayed up. Then I looked over at Angora and saw it didn't matter.

Angora stacked a single tile on top of her pile, completing her last story and putting her over the 35-foot mark.

"The tower must stay in place for five seconds," Titian called up. "Keep working, Ruby! It's not over yet!" _Maybe not,_ I thought, _But it's not use to keep working._ Either she'd won and it _was_ too late, or her tower would fall and I'd have all the time I needed. Rushing now would only doom me.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

I had both legs wrapped around the ladder and one arm anchoring myself in place. I'd started to get an upset stomach fifteen feet up. There was something about ladders that made wherever you were feel twice as high and twice as unstable. I was getting tunnel vision teetering thirty-five feet up, and my shallow breaths weren't helping. I only needed one more layer. It was all or nothing. I placed the tile and waited as Titian counted down the longest five seconds of my life.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Angora wins the challenge and stays in the game!" Titian announced. As soon as he said it, Ruby's tower toppled, hitting her ladder and smashing it like balsa wood. My stomach bottomed out as she fell thirty-five feet straight down. She landed headfirst on the concrete slab, and her head made a sound like a twig snapped underfoot. Her limbs landed twisted across her back, and her hair was matted down in a puddle of blood. I clung to the ladder as I stared, too scared to get down and too horrified to look away. She was broken like an egg, and the blood in her hair shone like rubies.

* * *

 **I didn't have votes noted for Trent and Lancia so they bogus voted for each other**

 **17th? place: Ruby Lalonde- Fell with her tower**

 **Ruby got on the wrong side of a big alliance. I suspect they picked her because she was the most likely to win, but I just count the votes, I don't judge the reasons. I'm sad to see her go so early, but placing doesn't matter unless it's first. Ruby was the most stoic of the Careers, but she wasn't a stereotypical emotionless Tribute. She DID have a lot of feelings- so many it was painful to even express them. I didn't do the viewer's choice challenge yet because I was waiting to weed out some Tributes who didn't have a prize picked, but Ruby's would have been a letter from her mother working toward repairing the relationship. Though she didn't get it, she knew her mother loved her, and her unwritten-about Confession Cams let her mother know she felt the same way. Thanks AmericanPi for Ruby. She got killed only by the social experiment nature of the Games, which is the worst possible compliment to get from your fellow submitters.**

 **I DO plan to do a hot potato challenge because that's hilarious, but I've been waiting so we don't have so many Tributes. We have like nineteen still and that's a lot. It might be better suited for an individual immunity challenge anyway.**


	54. Catapult Cataclysm

**If you haven't, feel free to send in a prize for your Tribute for the Reader's Choice challenge! At some point, I'll be doing a reader's choice challenge where the prizes will be items readers submitted for their Tributes. It's my way of having sponsors for this weird format. The prize should be something nice but not game-changing, like a letter from home, a pair of water shoes, or some District bread.**

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

My biggest enemy was down. This would affect our ability to win the challenges, but I'd run the calculations in my head and decided it was worth it. It was poor form to kill a district partner and I wished it hadn't turned out that way, but it wasn't only me. I could only suggest who others should vote for. They made their own decisions.

I was loving the game show format this year. We didn't make shows in One, but we got a few from the Capitol. My favorite was _Run for Your Guns,_ but _Swimming with Crocodiles_ was also fun. No one ever died in those shows, though they did sometimes get hurt. They fascinated me. I didn't particularly care about the violence. I got plenty of that as a volunteer, and I knew the crew would make sure no one actually died. It just thrilled me to see how far people could push when they needed to. I used to wonder where they got the contestants, too. There weren't poor people in the Capitol, but I'd never heard of them letting District people take part. In any case, this year's Games was the culmination of the genre. Twenty-three people actually died, and the winner got there with a combination of bizarre challenges and voting.

Even with the Career disadvantage, I was doing well. It even came around in the end and benefited me. The others were suspicious of me, but they knew everyone else was also suspicious, so they thought I couldn't possibly win. I'd only had a few votes against me so far. Those votes _did_ trouble me, though. I fully intended to find out which of my tribemates was going rogue and make them pay. I couldn't accept any threat, no matter how small.

Before that, the next order of business was to decide who we were eliminating next. After removing such a valuable player, it seemed logical to balance the loss by jettisoning the least valuable one. There were a couple of possibilities, each with advantages and disadvantages. The others would no doubt have their own opinions, and it would serve me well to listen. Not everyone agreed with the plan to vote out Ruby, and I wanted everyone to feel valuable. We all had our own agendas, and if it looked like I was trying to influence things, _I_ would be the next target.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

"Good morning, Tributes," Titian said. "Fonu, take your first look at the new Heilala. Ruby was voted out at tribal council." I could hardly believe it. She seemed like one of the strongest players. It was terrifying how arbitrary the choices were.

"As you can see, we've set out sixteen towers. Each tower has a basket on top, and on the bottom, there is a plank laid over a crossbeam. Each tower has one bag labeled with a letter. When the challenge begins, each of you will take a tower and attempt to flip your bag into the basket atop the tower, using the plank as a catapult. You are not allowed to help each other. The first team to get all their bags into the baskets wins the challenge. Losers will face tribal council, where one of you will be sent home. In addition, you'll be playing for reward." But this time, there wasn't anything by Titian's feet. He waited for a minute to enjoy the sight of us looking for an invisible prize.

"The members of the winning tribe will be invited to my personal quarters. They will be sailed out to my private yacht, which you might have seen in the waters around the island. You will enjoy the very best of Capitol hospitality and spend the night in my guest cabins. Worth playing for?"

"Okay," Camellia said. Titian look at her and prickled in a manner reminiscent of a chicken ruffling his feathers, but said nothing.

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

I didn't know nothing about catapults or tossing things into baskets. I knew who did, though. Lancia was a gymnast and Sammy played dodgeball. Both those things involved trajectories, angles, and coordination. I stood by my board and watched what they did. After five tries, Sammy sent her ball arcing perfectly into the basket. Lancia got hers two shots later. I'd been keeping my eyes on their feet and boards, and now I knew exactly what to do.

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3

"Sammy is the first to get her bag into her basket! Lancia coming up right behind her! Camellia getting very close!"

They were coming out strong. We needed to move it if we wanted to stay in this.

"Sherman gets his into the basket!" Of course it would be Sherman. If you didn't understand trajectories in Seven, you didn't reach Reaping age. I took an experimental track and started to move my foot down the log in regular increments while I stomped with the same amount of force each time. My bag got closer to the basket, and overshot it after a few tries. I'd found the right spot. I just needed to find the right force.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

I wasn't very good at this. I kept stomping too hard and flinging my basket a dozen feet behind me. I knocked my board off the crossbeam and had to stop to reset it.

"Camellia gets a letter for her team!

 _Well now I just feel lousy._

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"Hannah getting closer! Bailey getting closer! Manny still struggling to use his catapult! He keeps knocking it off! Hannah's in! Bailey's in, right on top of her!"

 _I have no idea what I'm doing,_ I thought as I slammed my foot down again and again. I moved all over in a shotgun pattern, trying anything that might work. My bag went everywhere but into the basket. I tried again in another random spot.

"Ash is in the basket!" Titian yelled. It took a minute to realize that was me and to stop wondering where my bag had gone.

 _Oh,_ I thought. _Yeah, I totally meant to do that._

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

 _No! They can't get ahead of us!_

I knew how to do this. They weren't my area of expertise, but I'd worked with thrown weapons. It was the same principle, just in a different direction.

"Trent gets a letter for Heilala!"

We were tied again. I looked up at the basket and thought over how my last launches had gone. I made a few calculations and tried again. The bag sailed up and arced down into the basket. We were back in the lead.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

"Cross gets a letter!"

 _*(#^! no!_

"Sparkil gets her letter!"

 _(!*#!$_ _yes!_

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

I'd been taking it a little slower and studying each attempt before I made the next one. I knew it would mean it took me longer, but it didn't matter as long as I wasn't the last.

"Abrexa gets a letter for Fonu! Both tribes need two more to win!"

I couldn't let them get to me. I had to focus on the math and science involved in catapults. I'd never even taken calculus. This was some high-level stuff. I lined up my shot and stomped.

"Angora scores for Heilala! They are one letter away from victory!"

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

"You can do it! Let's go, Deme!"

We were all gathered around Deme's catapult, waiting for our last member to make the shot. We weren't allowed to help, but cheering wasn't a problem. Sammy and Camellia were waving him on and dancing around. Charming was giving him that intense "You better shape up and I mean NOW" look. Luckily Deme didn't see it, since he was bent over his plank.

 _Come on. We're so close. I can't do two tribal councils in a row again._ We needed that break between votes. We needed to get our souls back in place.

"You got this! It's all you!" Angora yelled.

"One more time! You're gonna make it!" Trent added.

"Deme makes the shot! Heilala wins immunity and reward!"

* * *

 **This challenge had a lot of random chance involved, and I picked most of the placings similarly randomly. The only placings I picked specifically were Lancia and Sammy because of their prior skills. I mention that so you know that Tributes who took longer weren't necessarily worse in challenges. It just happened that way this time.**


	55. Tribal Council Seven?

Rahina Herrington, D11

"Yeah, I got a confession to make. It's about our wonderful host. Did you ever notice what he does during challenges? First, he always narrates it. It's like, does he think anyone doesn't know what's going on? We're all watching. And we're for sure not watching some guy in fancy clothes talk when we could be watching a bunch of kids doing some idiotic stunt for a roll of toilet paper. But then there's the best part. Whenever someone wins and he calls it, he sticks four fingers up in the air. _Nobody_ points like that. Have you ever in your life seen someone point like that? _Normal_ people point with one finger on each hand. Or if you're celebrating, you put your whole hand up there. Two fingers is just weird. There's something wrong with that guy. Killing kids is normal around here, but four fingers? Guy's a creep."

"But let's talk about camp for a while. You're probably more interested in that. I suppose you're hoping we're all hooking up and doing crazy stuff when the cameras aren't on us. First of all, if we did that, the cameras would quickly _be_ on us. Second, seems like we're kind of boring. Hannah and Bailey are friends, sometimes Sherman and Sparkil hang out with them. Abrexa and Manny don't want friends, and Ash is sort of friendly with everyone. I'm the only one really on the outs. I'm lucky I don't want friends, because if I did, I couldn't get any."

"Here's the thing, though. None of us should be making friends. I'm not here to make friends, and neither is anyone else. Even the people who think they're friends aren't really friends. The only reason any of us do anything together is because we think it will help us win. Blood is thicker than water. In the end, we're all putting ourselves first. If they're the only ones left, Hannah will vote for Bailey and Bailey will vote for Hannah. If they're in a duel, they'd throw sand in each others' eyes in a second.

"The others like to think they're better than me. They're friendlier, they're nicer, they're quieter and sweeter. They think _I'd_ throw any of them under the bus, but _they'd_ never do that. It's not that I'm no worse than they are. They're just no better than me. Friendships only last until you have nothing to offer, and love only lasts until you find someone better. The only people who think they'd be noble even in Hell have never been there."

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

Titian was in for a rough night. None of us really felt like talking. It was getting to where we felt bad about anyone we voted out. There were no easy choices anymore. Maybe Rahina, but even then. We didn't have anything to argue about.

"Do you think anyone is particularly responsible for your loss?" Titian baited, hoping we'd pile on Deme.

"I'm the one that held us up," Deme said.

"But you were super good in the challenge before that. Just because you're not good at one thing doesn't mean we don't want you," Hannah said, speaking for all of us. Titian tried a few more questions and got short answers or silence, so he gave up.

"Once the votes are counted, the decision is final," he said again. "Our first vote is for Manny." No surprise there. He was one of the harder teammates to get along with. I voted for someone smart and strong that I knew would be hard to beat, but it was always tempting to vote for people I didn't like. "Sparkil. Sparkil. One vote Manny, two votes Sparkil. Sherman. Hannah. Rahina. Only two votes left, so Sparkil will be dueling. Ash*. The final vote, and second person in the duel, is Rahina."

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3

Rahina had already won one duel. She would be hard to beat. Of course, I had as well, and it all came down to the challenge. If it was memorization, she'd win. If it was coordination, I'd win. We followed Titian to two square platforms ten feet above the ground, set into a concrete slab on the ground. Two bundles of string and fabric were at the bottom.

"Today's challenge is all about agility. When the challenge begins, I will show you a series of yoga poses. You will have thirty seconds to correctly assume the position. You will be on the platforms both so I have a better angle to judge and to add an element of vertigo. However, you do not have to worry about falling. Please put on a harness. If you fall, you will be able to climb back up and have lost nothing but time. Keep a clear head and namaste," Titian said, pressing his palms together.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

"First pose: Majaryasana. Cat pose," Titian said. He held up a picture of a simplified human figure on its hands and knees with its back up and head down. Sparkil and I both did it easily.

"Sparkil is good. Rahina is good. Enough warmup, let's try a harder one," Titian said, and he held up a picture of a person squatting and leaning backwards with her arms up. "Utkatasana. Chair pose." It was a little more difficult, but we both got it within fifteen seconds.

 _Pardon my French, but this challenge is retarded._ We looked like a couple of goons. At least the memory thing made sense. This was just bizarre. _I can think of bizarre names too. How about Banana pose? That's an easy one. Spaghetti pose is where it gets tricky._

* * *

Sparkil Maclein

Bridge pose, Cobra pose, and Extended Puppy pose went by without incident. It actually _was_ a little serene stretching and twisting every which way. If I won, and if I wasn't totally traumatized, I might take it up sometime. I wasn't sure about the Gamemaker thing anymore, though. Even if I wasn't directly involved with the killing, I didn't want to be involved with the people who were. Titian, for example. How awkward would _that_ be? And there was just something off about him. It was like he did have a soul, but it was so abnormal it didn't think this was wrong.

"Moving to harder poses. Padangusthasana. Big Toe pose," Titian said, and the picture was a person bent at the waist and holding her toes. My legs burned and it took almost my whole time, but I got it. Rahina had similar difficulty, but Titian checked us both off.

"Bakasana. Crane pose." A woman with her weight on her hands and her knees tucked behind her arms. I fell sideways twice before getting it, and I heard Rahina swearing as she got into position.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

It was nihilistically eerie to know that if I lost, no one would really miss me. Brock and Mariah would for a while, but there were plenty of other street kids. My teammates would probably celebrate. They voted for me, after all. They voted for me before and they did it again. At least two of them actively wanted me dead. I expected that from me, but it seemed a lot more potent coming from nice kids like them.

"Halasana. Modified Plow pose." The picture showed a woman lying on her back with her arms at her sides. Her legs were twisted up over her head, bent so far that her back was a semicircle and her knees were touching the ground by her ears. She looked like a pretzel.

All kids started out super flexible. The ones who stayed flexible kept practicing and they just never stiffened up. I had to be able to fit through tight spaces and move quick to avoid unsavory characters on the street. More importantly, I'd learned a high pain tolerance. I might not be able to get into the pose without hurting myself, but I could get through the pain. I bent my legs over my head and pulled them down with my arms. My legs burned and my back stretched thin like a rubber band. It brought tears to my eyes, but I got them down. I bent my knees before I could chicken out, whimpering as they brushed my ears. I shoved my hands down by my sides and made the pose.

For the brief instant I held it, I had the oddest view I'd ever had. During Modified Plow pose, it was possible to kiss your own butt.

* * *

Sparkil Maclein, D3

"Kapotasana. King Pigeon pose." A woman on her knees with her back bent in a parabola, with her head tilted back so it rested on her feet. I didn't believe it was possible without years of training. It looked like what would happen if I didn't listen to my grandmother all those times she said "get down before you break your neck."

I was endlessly grateful my metal arm couldn't feel the pain the rest of me felt, but it was no help either. It was exactly as flexible as the rest of me. I set my knees far apart so it was easier to stretch my back, I bent backwards and forced past all the messages my body was sending me, telling me I was going too far and my muscles couldn't take it.

"Ten seconds in," Titian said. He hadn't checked off Rahina, so she was still working, too. What if neither of us got it? This was Titian. He'd love the chance to kill us both.

Something in my back cracked, and I hoped it was something like a knuckle. It didn't hurt at least. Everything else did, though. It pulled and burned in a vital, visceral pain like I was tearing myself apart.

"Twenty seconds in," Titian said. It was possible. He was asking us to do something made for people who had done this for years. People got hurt rushing into advanced poses like this. He just wanted to see us get hurt.

"Twenty-five seconds in," Titian said. "Rahina has it! She is safe!"

 _Good for you, Rahina._ It just wasn't going to happen for me. I yanked myself back further, knowing the risk of broken bones or torn joints was better than the certain death if I didn't. Titian counted down the last five seconds. I'd trained to think quick in tight spots, but this was something I just couldn't do. Whatever happened next, I hoped it wasn't too ugly for my watching family.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

" _Time!_ Rahina wins the duel!"

 _SNAP_

I'd gotten out of that horrible pose as soon as Titian cleared me, so I saw exactly what happened to Sparkil. I'd thought the harnesses were odd, seeing as we were only ten feet up. They weren't safety harnesses. When Titian announced the winner, Sparkil's harness sprung into action. It was attached to her at the hips, around the back, both shoulders, and the base of the neck. Each connection point jerked in a random direction, folding Sparkil like a crumpled sheet of paper. Her back swiveled around so she was looking at me, or she would have been if her neck hadn't been bent back ninety degrees to her shoulders. Her limbs stuck out at crooked angles, and the only consolation was that she'd died immediately. No one could live for a single second looking like that.

 _I've killed two people._ I thought of the two families I'd left bereft. _Call me the boogeyman._

* * *

 **This time, both duelists had already fought once. That gave me more room to pick, but actually one of Rahina's votes was bogus. I just didn't note it in-chapter so there would be more suspense. I think I might start doing that more often. It seems most readers want me to kill the duelist with more votes. That ruins the suspense, so if I don't note the bogus ones until the end, I can restore the suspense.**

 **17th place: Sparkil Maclein, D3**

 **Just like in real Survivor, I have no idea who will go at any time. I didn't know when to expect Sparkil to leave. On one hand, she was smart and dangerous, but on the other, she was smart and good for challenges. Only three people voted for her, so it wasn't exactly a landslide. Tinks, you're always good for a good Tribute. If Sparkil, Des, and Electra ally next Resurrection Games, they'll kick some butt. Just sayin.**

 **On the note of votes, I haven't gotten any from Ash or Rahina lately. I don't care how rarely people vote or review, but I just want to make sure you two are still active. If you're entirely gone, I'll hint to the rest and they'll know who's a good one to vote for. If you're just casually interested or too busy to participate regularly, that's fine. I have two levels: any participation and none at all. And it looks like reviews might be stuck, so that might be all.**

 **Next chapter will go into the Heilalas and their time with Titian, because that is too good to skip.**

 **CLARIFICATION UPDATE: I'll mark the bogus ones at the end of the chapter, just not when Titian reads them.**


	56. Yacht a Problem

**Sparkil had the idol again, but her creator said she didn't want to keep using the idol and circumventing things. So I re-hid it.**

 **Clue 1: Start your search at 20,000 fathoms. Find the man who made a monster.**

 **It IS a place. This is just a REALLY vague clue since yall been getting them so fast.**

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

Titian's boat cost more than everyone in Seven had ever seen. We were settled below deck in a huge lounge with velvet couches that wrapped around the wall from one side of the room to the other. There was a mahogany table in the middle covered with all sorts of food and luxuries. Titian hadn't arrived yet, and we were taking the opportunity to eat everything we could before he showed up and we felt awkward with him watching.

"What's this?" Deme asked, holding up a cracker with gray paste.

"It's foie gras," Charming said. "It's super expensive."

"What is it?" Deme asked.

"You take a goose and force-feed it until its liver is distended and fatty," Charming said. Deme put the cracker down.

"Ew..." he said. "I think I'll eat the _normal_ food. Not those gross fish eggs, either."

"Suit yourself," Charming said as he munched on caviar. As for me, I mostly ate meat. After not much but rice, I was _hungry._ We ate a lot working in the lumberyards. No pancakes this time. I was going for that fat lobster tail.

"So the meat's inside?" I asked, tapping at the shell with a fork. I looked around to ensure the others were all busy eating their own choices, then tore the shell open with my fingers.

"This is the best prize ever," Hannah said. Then Titian swept into the room and ruined it. Trent, who had been two-fisting spaghetti into his mouth, swallowed and wiped his hands on a silk napkin.

"Welcome, Heilala. I trust you find the hospitality sufficient?" Titian asked, taking a seat.

"It's very nice," Lancia said politely.

"Do you need more of anything?" Titian asked.

"Spaghetti," Camellia mumbled, looking at Trent. He wrinkled his nose at her.

 _There's something we need less of..._

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

We were never really going to be finished eating, but we took pity on Titian and let him coax us onto the deck for a late night swim. I wasn't sure why he wanted to swim in water that had a giant octopus in it, but maybe we'd get lucky and it would eat him. Most of us couldn't swim, but Titian had life jackets and a ton of floaties.

"Swordfight!" Trent yelled, and he bopped Manny across the head with a foam noodle.

"Duck!" Lancia yelled, and she shoved Trent underwater.

"Hey, this thing has a hole in it," I said when I looked closer at the foam noodle. I got a wonderful idea and shoved the noodle underwater. I brought it up to my mouth, pointed it at Sammy, and blew into the hole. Water shot out and drenched her.

"Hey!" she said.

"Yeah, now you're all wet," I jeered. There were floating lights in between the floaties, giving the water a funky glow and making it less scary to swim at night. We didn't want to waste energy, but I for one probably just ate five thousand calories and planned to eat more.

Sammy and I roomed together in one of Titian's fancy cabins. We had our own beds with flouncy sheets and blankets of some Capitol materials. We quickly found out the beds were bags full of water, which was both fascinating and unnerving. I wouldn't want to hook my nail into the mattress and drown in my sleep. We sloshed oddly whenever we moved, and it almost made me sick. We each had about ten pillows, which meant a pillow fight was necessary. After we exhausted ourselves, we lay in bed talking and taking sweets from the bowls by our beds.

"This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience," I said. "And I know, since my lifetime is probably almost up."

"Some people live like this every day," Sammy mused.

"I think I'd be fat," I said.

"I'd go to the Districts and toss candy to everyone," Sammy said.

"Let's do that if one of us wins. If I get candy, _everyone_ gets candy."

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

I didn't expect Sparkil to go. She was strong and she was smart. She and Rahina were dead even, and things just kind of worked out the way they did. I was glad a strong competitor was gone, but I was sorry a strong player was gone for the next challenge. Now we were down one member, too, so Heilala got to sit out their weakest link.

It seemed like everyone else had complex strategies, and I was just trying to stay alive. I didn't know where to start when it came to alliances and blindsides. I was taking it one challenge at a time.

"Good morning, tribes. Heilala, take your first look at the new Fonu. Sparkil voted out at tribal council." Heilala didn't seem to care. Unless it was Abrexa, we pretty much blurred.

"Today's challenge is all about memory. In front of you are a series of covered tables, one for each of you. Under the covers is a three-by-three grid full of different items found around the island. When I give the signal, you will have thirty seconds to memorize the grid, which is numbered. After that, I will begin to call numbers, and you must find and present the corresponding object. Present the wrong item and you are eliminated. Last Tribute standing wins immunity for their tribe. In addition, you'll be playing for reward. Today's reward: a cooler filled with soda and other refreshing drinks. Worth playing for?"

* * *

Sammy Voltage, D5

 _This is_ bogus!

"The first number is three," Titian called. That would have been really easy if I remembered which square was the _third!_ It wasn't like I had this thing where I got things _scrambled up!_ I tried to tell Trent, but he'd already stuck up his hand. He must have a really, _really_ crappy memory.

I grabbed a palm leaf and hoped for the best. I actually ended up being right. Cross and Manny, however, didn't do so well.

 _Huh. I outlasted two people. Didn't see that coming._

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

Next up was number eight. That wasn't hard. It was a pile of white sand. I ran to a sandy stretch of ground and scooped some sand up. I set it onto my table and looked at the others. With the exception of Camellia, who had two red berries, everyone had sand. Camellia noticed the otherwise unanimous decision and shrugged good-naturedly. We were one step closer.

Abrexa James, Jr D2

Number six. I remembered that... right? It was two red berries. Or maybe it was the green seed pod. They were right next to each other...

The players were evenly divided on that one. Unfortunately I was in the wrong half, along with Hannah, Bailey, Sammy, and Angora.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

We were running out of numbers. Only nine and two were left. Two I remembered. It was a feather, and they were no doubt scattered around beforehand by cameramen. Nine was... something. Two and Nine. I had a fifty-percent chance.

"The next number is nine."

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

I was the only Heilala left, squaring off against Sherman and Rahina. Titian called us to the center of the clearing.

"As the final three, you move into the final round. I have here another three-by-three grid. You have ten seconds to memorize as many items as you can. When time is up, you have two minutes to place as many matching items in the grid as you can. The Tribute with the most matches wins.

 _Black sand. Sea glass. Nut shell. Twisty leaf. Twisty shell. Sparkly rock. Coconut fuzz. Obsidian shard. Mud._ I repeated them in my head until Titian shut the box suddenly. We all ran in separate directions, gathering things and putting them in order.

"Time!" Titian called. "Everyone return to your stations." He went to Sherman first. "Correct. Incorrect. Incorrect. Empty. Empty. Correct. Incorrect. Empty. Correct. Sherman with three correct items." He came to my station.

"Black sand. Correct. Sea glass. Correct. Rock. Incorrect. Leaf. Incorrect type. Shell. Correct. Quartz. Correct. Coconut fuzz. Correct. Empty. Mud. Correct. Lancia with six corrects. She is in the lead. Last up, Rahina."

"Black sand. Correct. Sea glass. Correct. Nut shell. Correct. Leaf. Incorrect type. Shell. Correct. Quartz. Correct. Coconut fuzz. Correct. Charred wood. Incorrect. Rahina and Lancia tied, with one item to go. If Rahina gets this item correct, Fonu wins." Titian bent over the box.

"Mud! Rahina has seven correct! Fonu wins immunity and reward!"


	57. Tribal Council Eight

**Clue number 2- slightly less vague:**

 **The man who made a monster has many more to see. Look back to 1963.**

 **Still a place, BTW. It's something at the place, so like it could be the Eiffel Tower or a big ol' tree or something.**

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6

I could rest easy this time. I knew who everyone was voting for. Somehow it didn't make it any easier.

"So, what happened at the challenge?" Titian asked.

"We didn't win," Angora said. If even Angora was sick of Titian's crap, things were getting real.

"Some of us did better than others," Charming said.

"I'd like to point out that A. I wasn't the first to go and B. I'm literally dyslexic," Sammy said.

"Why didn't you sit out?" Camellia asked.

"I _tried_ to. Speed demon over there beat me," Sammy said, nodding at me.

"Sorry," I said, and I smiled in embarrassment. _Great, now they're going to think I'm worse at puzzles than the_ dyslexic _girl._

"You never think before you act," Lancia said.

"Joke's on you. I never think at all," I said, and Camellia snorted into her hand. That was why she was in gymnastics and I was in parkour. In gymnastics, not thinking ahead will get you killed. In parkour, stopping to think will get you killed. "Hey, how about some votes?"

"I think I see a possible target, but maybe there are some surprises in this urn," Titian said before he counted the votes. _Oh, I think there are. For you anyway,_ I thought.

"Our first vote is for Charming," Titian said. Charming rolled his eyes but wasn't scared. He always got one vote. One of these days he was going to find out who it was and give them Hell. "Sammy." Camellia put her hands on her hips and and scooted closer to Sammy. "Sammy. Sammy. Charming." Charming pricked up in his seat. If the vote was for Sammy but he got the second-most by default, he was still in trouble. _Wouldn't_ that _be funny?_ Meanwhile Sammy looked around at us in betrayal as Camellia tried to shield her from everyone at once. "Sammy. Charming. The remaining vote doesn't matter. Our duelists are Sammy and Charming. Please join me for the duel."

* * *

Sammy Voltage, D5

 _I didn't do anything._ I didn't mastermind any plans or blow any challenges for us. They had no reason to pick me. And it had to be against Charming. Even though the challenge probably had nothing to do with anything he trained for, it was still intimidating. He was bigger than me and scarier than me.

"Behind me you will see two tall rectangular frames," Titian said, describing the scene for... blind people in the Capitol, maybe? "Beside the frames are two bags. Inside the bags are four blocks each. Each block is imprinted on its six faces with different symbols: either a yellow bee, a black spider, a blue fly, or a green grasshopper. Each block has a different combination of symbols, and both of you have different blocks. The object of the duel is to stack your four blocks in the frame so that each symbol appears on each of the four sides of the tower once. While your blocks are different, both sets have only one solution."

It wasn't the end of the world. I was no puzzle expert, but neither was Charming. I had no idea how to strategize for this challenge, but I bet he was in the same boat.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

I wasn't sure where to begin, so I picked a simple strategy. I stacked the four blocks randomly and started moving around the ones that didn't line up. One side already worked just by chance, but the side adjacent to it had two grasshoppers in a row. I moved the grasshopper on top ninety degrees to the right, but then I had two flies on the first side. And I hadn't even gotten to the other sides yet.

* * *

Sammy Voltage, D5

Two of my sides worked. Two didn't. I swapped the two blocks on top with each other. Then I had one side that worked and three that didn't. I took off the top block and examined its faces. There was one grasshopper, one fly, two spiders, and two bees. I could work with that. I had to find another block with only one spider and one bee and put the two next to each other. Then I could start doing things logically.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

Sammy was looking at each of her blocks. I took all four of mine and set them in a line on the platform under the frame so it was easier to move them. Only one of my blocks had all four symbols. I put that one at the front of my line because it was the easiest to work with. I put the squares with more of one symbol next to those with fewer of that symbol and starting making swaps.

* * *

Sammy Voltage, D5

Three of my sides lined up. I only needed one more. Camellia was cheering from the sidelines, half in encouragement and half in terror that Potato would happen all over again. She was almost as desperate as I was. I took the top block and tried facing it every different way possible. When that didn't work, I held it up and started turning the one underneath it. In all those possibilities, I might already have the right answer.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

I wasn't dying today. I had a lot farther to go. Since strategy was almost moot, I focused on speed. I scrambled my blocks and made switches so fast I barely had time to see if I had the right combination by spinning the frame quickly. As I spun the latest time, I didn't see any repeat colors in the flashing symbols. I stopped the frame, then walked around it once.

"I think I have it!" I called. Sammy kept swapping as Titian came over to check.

"Titian wins the duel!"

* * *

Sammy Voltage D5

 _What?!_

It had been a panicky feeling knowing Titian could make the announcement at any second, but I hadn't truly known panic until after he did. I grasped at any possibility he could be wrong or that I might still live, but I came up empty. The sides of the blocks collapsed, and I got ready for whatever was inside.

I should have seen it coming. The top block opened to reveal four tarantulas clinging to the walls. I expected them to jump at me, but they just sat there lazily. The second block must have had the flies, but I didn't notice them fly away. The grasshoppers in the bottom box jumped onto the sand and disappeared.

The tracker jackers in the third box weren't so benign. The swarm, furious at how I'd shaken their box, surrounded me and clamped onto any exposed skin. They stung almost at once and kept stinging after I fell. Even over the buzzing, I heard Camellia's screams.

It didn't hurt after the first few stings. The island fell away around me as their venom induced hallucinations. I saw my home and my parents, and then my friends playing a game of dodgeball. I was there in the vision, just like I'd never left.

I knew it wasn't real, but it made me happy all the same. I'd thought good things could happen in Panem. As I faded, I thought at first that I was wrong, but I really wasn't. The Games were bad, and they took my chance at that happiness. But they didn't take everyone's. Because I died, the other girls my age didn't. If it hadn't been my name, it would have been another girl's. Some other girl out there was going to live because I died, and I was happy for her. I hoped she made the life for herself that I'd always dreamed of.

* * *

 **First order of business: The authentic votes were 5 Sammy, 1 Charming, 2 bogus. I gave the bogus to Charming just to make suspense. In the event where there are enough votes to eliminate someone, Jeff Probst often doesn't read them onscreen. The final vote was for Sammy and I left it so the scores looked closer until the chapter was over.**

 **16th place: Sammy Voltage- Stung by tracker jackers**

 **I'm sad to see Sammy go. She had such a positive outlook and was just a good person. I suspect she was voted off because the others thought they couldn't win in the finals and not because anyone didn't like her. She had some good times on the island and it's sad she's gone. It came out of nowhere and was almost unanimous, so Charming was never in real danger. Sorry, Winter's Writing. Sammy was unique but not overdone. If it wasn't voting, she would have lasted longer.**

 **Note: DID I STUTTER? I said 1963! Clue 1 referred to something from 1953. Clue 2 works with clue 1, so both years are important.**


	58. Here's Mud In Your Eye

**For the first time, I got to c** **lue 3:**

 **Medusa, skeletons, Dioskilos, giant walrus, Pegasus, Kali, Hydra, centaur, cyclops, dragon, gryphon, Minotaur. Find one of the missing of many more.**

 **Since that seems to lead to an animal, I shall restate it's a place or monument.**

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

Camellia was taking it really hard. We didn't know if she'd ever be lighthearted again after this. Lancia and I were trying to comfort her, but we didn't know what to say.

 _You can't bring her back,_ she'd said at one point, and it was true. There really wasn't anything we could do. I was just glad the final vote hadn't been read and she didn't know that other than her vote and Sammy's, it had been unanimous. This way we could all pretend we were the opposing vote. It was quiet in camp that night. Sammy wasn't kicking around wadded-up balls of seaweed or swinging around in the trees, and Camellia wasn't joking.

Everyone was quiet on the way to the challenge. We knew what was coming. We'd see Titian, he'd tell Fonu to get their first look at the new Heilala, and they'd see we voted out Sammy. Nice, polite, sunny Sammy. Seeing the shock on their faces just made me feel worse. For once, I just wanted to start the challenge.

"Today's challenge is as obvious as it seems. Behind me we have a field of mud. In the middle of the field is a giant woven ball of sticks. When the challenge begins, both teams will attempt to push the ball across the field and into their own goal. The first team to do so will win immunity and reward. Wanna know what you're playing for today?" Titian asked, looking at Camellia. She didn't say anything.

"All right. As you can see, today's reward isn't here, and it's _very_ unique. Each of your families has selected an item to send to you. It could be a letter from home or something with personal meaning. The winning tribe will find their items back at their camp. Worth playing for?" More silence from Camellia. It _was_ worth playing for, though. I couldn't even imagine what my family had sent. Something from my little sister, maybe? Or maybe a hairbrush. It was silly and all, but my hair was looking _nasty._ It just cheered me up to style it. It seemed like the items were more for morale than practicality, and if that was the case, my fingers were crossed for a hairbrush. But first, we had to win.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

Our early strategy was simple. Charming and Deme dragged the ball, which was a foot taller than most of us, toward our goal while the others untangled the Fonus trying to get in our way. As expected, our greatest obstacle was Abrexa, who grabbed on to the bottom of the ball and sank herself full length into the mud so we had to drag her full weight sideways every inch. Sherman saw Abrexa's idea and threw himself sideways on our side of the ball, so we had to get over him as he pushed and past Abrexa as she pulled. We pulled out an early lead by forcing the ball a few feet toward the goal, but it was slow going. This was going to be a siege.

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

Heilala had the advantage- they weighed more than we did. We were mostly smaller girls, other than Sherman, and they had a lot of jacked-up fighters over there. It would have been even easier if they'd had Ruby, but that was a break for us.

It was hard just to get purchase on the woven ball. It was completely covered in mud, and Tributes from both tribes were grabbing at every inch of it. I could hardly move without hitting someone. People were stepping on each other, forcing each other into the mud, wrestling like something out of a dirty magazine... it was chaos.

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

Thirty minutes later, we were still fighting. The ball was two-thirds of the way to Heilala's target, but we were still going at it. Our only hope was a battle of attrition, where we took the easier job of slowing them down until they hopefully tired out. The ball was hardly moving at this point. Even Titian was bored. He was sitting under an umbrella sipping a fancy drink and lazily calling out narration every now and then.

"Last push, everyone! Let's get this done!" Charming called suddenly. The effect was lessened by the mud covering his entire body and the clumps of dirt in his hair, but it was still chilling. They really meant it.

* * *

Titian Qin

 _Finally, some action!_

"Heilala is forcing the ball across the field with the entirety of Fonu attached to it! Deme taking the brunt of the work, pushing that ball like a bull on a plow. They're only three feet from the finish line now. The Fonus are pushing back, but they just don't have enough power. Abrexa and Rahina are already across the line, though they're still not giving up. One final push should do it, and it does! Heilala wins immunity and reward!"

* * *

 **This one went quickly because sometimes Survivor challenges turn out one-sided. It has less to do with Fonu sucking and more to do with this is just the one I happened to pick for a landslide. Make sure to vote if you're in Fonu.**

 **Looks like I done messed up the placings again. Sammy was 15th, so we're closer to the end than I thought. Which is nice, because while I'm not bored or anything, this thing's gonna be like a hundred chapters if I don't move it.**


	59. Irtlba Uclino

**Fourth clue, for the first time!**

 **Two names are acceptable for this idol. One was given by an artist in 280 BC, one by the monster maker in 1963.**

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

Every time, it got harder to vote. I'd seen the consequences of some of my votes. People had died because of the name I wrote down (along with the others, but that didn't remove my guilt). Then there was the constant terror and paranoia. When Titian held up a vote, I knew it could be my name in there. I'd never know when it was coming. Some votes had made sense, but some seemed completely random. If Ruby got voted out, it could be me. There was no telling who would get picked at any time, and that meant there was never any peace for me.

It was weird how stoic Rahina could be about all this. Every single week, at least one person voted for her. She must have been hoping eventually the mystery saboteur would be voted out instead, but whoever it was still stuck around. Unless it was Sparkil, but I didn't think it was. Sparkil would have voted logically, and Rahina was good in challenges. In any case, she never seemed scared at council, just mad. I suspected she was so angry at life she took the duels as her own challenge and kept beating back the death that kept coming for her.

"So, what happened today?" Titian asked.

"They were just heavier than us. You saw it," Bailey said.

"Yeah, I don't think that was very fair," Manny said.

"While Heilala does seem to have many advantages, the tribes have been even throughout the game," Titian commented.

"Mostly because we get around the challenges instead of winning them," Manny said.

"That's life, isn't it?" Rahina asked.

"I just hope I'm never against you in a duel. You have no problem sending the other guy home in a box," Manny said.

"My apologies. I should have laid down meekly and died," Rahina said. "You seem rather resentful. Maybe you're the one who keeps voting for me?"

"Let's hope it doesn't come back to bite me," Manny said.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

"Every week we get a new surprise. Let's hope they keep coming, shall we?" Titian asked as he pulled out the first vote. _Yes, let's,_ I thought. _A surprise would be me not in the duel._

"Our first vote is for Rahina." _Well whoop-de-freaking-do._ "Our second vote is for Rahina." _Did I piss off a god in a past life?_ "Our third vote is for Manny." _Okay, the clouds are parting. The sun is breaking out._ "Manny." _Well wouldn't that just be ironic._ "Manny." _No way._ "Ash. Our last vote is for Sherman. Rahina and Manny will be participating in today's duel. Please join me across the field."

Despite the dire situation, I had to shoot Manny a wry look. I couldn't keep winning forever. One of these days the Reaper was going to catch up with me. But I did hope Manny went first.

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

If I didn't know better I'd say Titian rigged the votes. Not to put me in, but to make sure Rahina was my opponent. I just _had_ to go run my mouth. I should have picked on Hannah. She'd be easier to beat.

"Today's challenge tests your articulation skills- something both of you seem quite skilled in," Titian said. "Behind me you see two blackboards. On each board is the same word search puzzle. There are ten words in the ancient Tongan language listed alongside the puzzle. Find the words and circle them. Where the circles overlap, circle the letter inside the overlap and write it on the side. When you've found all the letters, unscramble them to form a word. The first opponent to call out the word wins the duel. The loser is eliminated."

 _Crap._ Word puzzles were _not_ my forte. I was pleased to see Rahina mirroring my expression. I wasn't surprised she'd have trouble with an academic challenge. It was a duel for an intellectual, and two street kids were fighting it.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

The Reaper might get me yet. I might have been good at _speaking_ words, but writing them down wasn't my usual priority. I lived a life of action, not academics. I peeked around the blackboard at Manny to see how fast he was moving. He was staring at his board the same as I was, which was reassuring.

I examined the board and then the list of words. One word stuck out to me: _Ix'leh._ It had an "x" in it. Probably there weren't many of those on the board, so I started looking just for x's. When I found one, I looked all around to see if there was an I or an l by it. A few minutes later, I had my first word. Unfortunately, so did Manny.

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

"Puahupa" was in the bag. I had eight more to go. The search was made more difficult by the fact that apparently every other letter in every Tongan word was a vowel. It was hard enough just to find the consonants that would mark an actual word.

"Rahina and Manny both have their first word!" Titian called. For once I was happy he was a loudmouth. Now I knew how fast I had to go.

 _Aha!_ "Kolohu" became my second word. Seven to go, and one ahead of Rahina.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

Though the straits were even direr than before, I could still find amusement in the fact that Manny and I were boring Titian to tears. It had been fifteen minutes, and we were barely halfway there. I had four words and Manny had five.

"Aha!" I crowed, and Titian looked up eagerly. "Ha never mind," I said, and he shot daggers at me.

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

After scaring the crap out of me by faking, Rahina found her fifth word two minutes later. We were neck and neck again. Almost at the same moment, we both found our sixth. I started reading the letters I had already, preparing for when I'd have to unscramble them. _L, N, S, P, E. Heh, if that L was an I..._

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

There was an eerie calm over the challenge. It had taken so long Manny and I both felt like it was going to last forever. One of us was going to die, but it would probably be of old age. I found my sixth word, and then there was stagnation again for four minutes. The silence was broken only by Titian.

"Thirty-one minutes into the challenge. Still no winner. We hope to be done before the next tribal council. It remains to be seen if either Manny or Rahina can actually read."

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

Only two more words to go. I'd added an _I_ to my collection of letters, to my great and immature delight. We were actually getting close to the end, which made me tense. My arm shook as I circled my seventh word.

"Manny with one word to go!" _Thanks, blabbermouth._

I could see why people had voted for me. I wasn't the easiest to get along with. Abrexa didn't like me for not being a Career, and the others thought I was tainted by being in such close proximity to the Careers. Meanwhile they voted for Rahina because she was Rahina.

"Rahina with her seventh word! Only one word more to go! I'll check back in ten minutes."

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

Would anyone miss me if I died? Not Abrexa. She came here to kill people. Not Manny. He hated my guts. Not whoever voted for me. I hardly ever talked to Sherman and Ash. Maybe Hannah. She was so sticky sweet and nice to everyone, even me. She might be sad if I died. She'd been sad about everyone else. I told myself I didn't need anyone, but it was nice to know there was someone, even if I'd never admit it.

The last word, "Ano'hole", popped out at me suddenly, and I circled it. Just like that, I had all nine letters.

"Rahina finds her last word! She can start on the scramble. Not to be outdone, Manny finds his last word! They are both still in the race!"

* * *

Manny Guerrero, D2

 _I, P, L, N, O, X, S, E, O._

I could do this. The obvious first step was to put the S at the end. Most likely the word was plural. There were a lot of vowels, so they probably went together. Lots of words had double O's, and I and O also went together. But the X... what went with X? _Oxen, extra, oxygen..._ A vowel, then. And probably the E went before the S, like _shoes._ So many pieces. I just had to put them together.

Mia was watching me at home. She would be glued to the screen, begging me to win and helpless to help me. Our aunt and uncle were taking care of her, and that was the only thing that was right about any of this. Even if I didn't make it home, she would be all right. She had to be all right.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

 _Polxeosin. Neplooxsi. Expolison._

Something about that one got me. "Ex-po-li-son". "Ex-POL-i-son"

"Rahina, losing the ability to speak and degenerating into arcane spells," Titian narrated.

" _Explosion!"_ I screamed. A massive weight lifted off my chest, and I shoved the board aside to look at Manny and make sure he hadn't said it a second before me. I didn't expect what happened next.

I'd never seen Manny look so contrite and resigned. He didn't throw a single taunt my way. "Goodbye, Mia. I love you." Then his head exploded.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

 _Woah, his head exploded. They must have set off the tracker. But that's in his arm, right? They must have moved it. Probably we all have trackers in our heads. Why didn't Titian just explode Cain's? Oh right, because he's a dick._

 _Wait a minute. Manny's head exploded. Manny's dead..._

* * *

 **The real votes were three for Manny, one for Rahina, and one for Sherman. I gave a bogus vote to Rahina to break the tie. I picked Rahina because it amuses me that she keeps getting voted into duels and keeps winning. She's not meant to be super good at everything- I just needed someone to duel the already dead Manny. I don't want my fake votes to mess with strategy, so it's a necessary plot hole that everyone's acting like Rahina is getting one every week when I needed two to break the tie. Since I knew it was Manny this time, I picked the duel type he had the lowest score in: word puzzles, with 3. Unfortunately Rahina only had a 4 in that category, so it was a very incompetent duel this time.**

 **14th place: Manny Guerrero, D2- Head exploded**

 **I think none of us thought Manny would win. He was often negative and he didn't make friends easily, so he didn't have any advantages in a voting Games. He did well while he was here and got shafted in his first duel. Later I'm going to start the advanced mathematical system I developed which will hopefully increase the realism of the challenges and the inevitable luck element, but that will come after the merge. Thanks Jayrob89 for Manny. Lots of people send in really nice Tributes because they're more popular, but Manny had a hard life and he just didn't have time for that.**

 **NOTE 1: the merge will happen when there are 10 Tributes left.**

 **NOTE 2: Those aren't real Tongan words. Like many island languages, Tongan has fewer consonants than English. It's tradition to use the native language in Survivor scrambles. The Gamemakers aren't exactly culturally sensitive and there aren't any Tongan-speakers in Panem, so they made up a bunch of fake words and told everyone they were Tongan.**


	60. Slippery Serpent

**Someone has found the idol! The clues led to Talos, the bronze statue that came to life in Jason and the Argonauts. I have a thing for stop-motion, since CGI looks horrifically cartoonish to me. I also would have accepted the Colossus of Rhodes, which Talos was based on. The monster maker was Ray Harryhausen, btw.**

* * *

Sky Levings, D5 Mentor

I was, for the most part, long past the stage of caring about unfairness. This time got me, though. Sammy wouldn't have been able to win a normal Games. The Survivor thing had been a miracle for us. She was a shoo-in in this one format- she was fun, friendly, and athletically capable. We actually had a chance this time Why'd they have to pick her?

* * *

Erwin Jackson, D5 Mentor

I'd known Cain wouldn't win, so it wasn't unexpected. The _method_ was, of course. It was pretty amazing what he did. We all wanted to, but most of us didn't have the courage. I had a wife and three children I couldn't put in danger, but I wondered what would have happened if I'd been in Cain's shoes.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

 _Dear Cross,_

 _There's something very important you have to know. We've been discussing your situation, and Morty says you're not doing anything wrong. Sometimes good things come out of bad places, and you're not at fault if someone is forcing you to sin. Don't worry about trying to vote for bad people, since it's not your job to judge who that is. Morty says if you don't vote out of malice, it's all right._

 _We think you're like Joseph. It was a sin to throw him into the pit, but a lot of good came out of it. He was able to help a lot of people because of his position in Egypt, and you can do the same if you're the Victor. So go ahead and try your best to win, and we're praying for all of you._

The rest of the letter told about what was happening at home and other little comforts. All around me, the others opened and fussed with their gifts. Lancia had a pillow and blanket, Angora was fixing a tear in her pants with her sewing kit, Camellia and Deme were setting out her playing cards, Trent was kicking around a soccer ball, and Charming was reading his own letter. For once, everyone was happy and I felt like part of a real team.

I couldn't have asked for a better gift. I'd felt better after talking with Lancia, but it was even better to know my congregation was behind me. It was hard to be confident about anything if you were the only one thinking it, even if you knew you were right. Other people agreeing wasn't what made it right or wrong, but it helped settle my doubts. I could focus on the game now, and maybe even getting home.

We certainly could do a lot with the money. We'd give most of it to the poor, but I thought it would be okay if we took a little and fixed up our church. We could do it backwards- keep ten percent and give away ninety. And it would be amazing to have a Victor like me. Victors had certain dispensations. We weren't immune, and I could totally still get killed if I was outspoken, but I didn't have to be. A witness was lived and not told. Everyone in Panem would see what we were like. I could show a lot of souls the truth. I would be an ambassador. I had to make sure to do it right, though. I would be the only visible representative of the faith in the nation. I had to toe the line and never do anything to drive them away. I'd never thought I would have so much responsibility.

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

Titian did the whole spiel about greeting us and showing everyone Manny was gone, but we were more interested in the giant snake behind him. It wasn't a real snake, to our great relief. It was made out of a series of barrels linked together into a giant chain crossing nearly the entire clearing.

"Today's challenge is about balance," Titian said. "Each of you will pick a barrel and sit astride it. The barrels are filled with water. As the water slowly drains out, it will become harder and harder to balance on the barrels. The last Tribute remaining on the barrels will win immunity for their tribe. In addition, we're playing for reward. Today: convenience." He lifted the tarp from our prize. "A collection of cooking utensils. We have a pot, a skillet, a ladle, a set of bowls and spoons, and some knives. Worth playing for?"

"Now you're cooking," Camellia said with some enthusiasm. At least she'd started up again.

"The only rule is you cannot touch the framework surrounding the barrels," Titian said, and the challenge began.

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

 _Oh dear, I'm not very good at this._

We were barely five minutes in and I was tipping everywhere. _Oh no..._

SPLAT!

 _Right into the mud. Oh well, at least no one else had to be first._

SPLAT  
"Oh, hey Dandelion."

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

This challenge was actually easier for the smaller, wimpier Tributes. Lumberjacks tended to be a little top-heavy. My theory was proven when Deme toppled into the mud.

 _Yay, Fonu's ahead!_

SPLAT!

 _Yay we're tied..._

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

 _This challenge is my jam._

I could do this all day. I could have stood up straight on the barrel all day. I'd been doing this for years. My only worry was if the challenge took so long I got tired and actually slid off. But at the rate the splats were going, that wasn't going to happen.

SPLAT! Charming. He might have been on my team, but it was still hilarious to see him faceplant in the mud, then get up and look around to see if anyone saw.

SPLAT! Abrexa. _Hooray she's Fonu._

SPLAT! Rahina. She was already so dirty it was hard to tell she was muddy.

The splats came a few minutes apart, so we were probably twenty minutes into the challenge. It would have taken longer, but we were half-starved and slept on sand all night.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

We had this one in the bag. It didn't matter how long I lasted. Lancia was a gymnast and Trent did that "Parker" stuff. They'd probably start doing flips soon.

The only one to worry about on Fonu was Bailey. I remembered her mentioning she did rodeos. She was used to this exact swaying motion and this exact position of sitting on it. Maybe we didn't have this in the bag.

SPLAT!

I was down, not that it mattered. This was between Lancia, Trent, and Bailey.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"Hey Cross."

"Hey Ash."

"I think we're kind of superfluous, huh?"

"Yeah, more or less." I looked over at the watching losers. None of them were even looking at us. They knew who the important ones were.

"Hey, I bet if we got off ourselves we wouldn't get covered in mud," I said.

"Yeah, and we'd save energy," he said.

"Think we'd get in trouble?" I asked.

"I don't think they'd even notice," he said.

"Let's do it."

"Okay." We slid off our barrels at the same time, avoiding a huge splat of mud and lightening the laundry loads for our tribes. No one noticed.

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6

"We are down to Lancia, Bailey and Trent. We are forty-five minutes in, and at this point, _all_ the water is gone from the barrels. The slightest movement in any direction will pitch the Tributes into the mud," Titia said.

"So. How about that weather?" I asked Lancia, who was two barrels away from me. I was a fidgety sort of boy. I could stay still if I had to, but I got bored easily.

"Been pretty hot," Lancia said.

" _Woah,"_ Bailey said from the other end of the snake. She was looking up at the sky with a mixture of awe and fear. I snapped my head up to see what it was and noticed mid-movement that I'd been bamboozled.

"Ohhhhh noooooooo," I wailed as the movement jerked the barrel to one side and sent me splatting into the mud. I was good at balancing on stationary objects, but you didn't jump on moving things in parkour unless you were _really_ sure. And you didn't suddenly jerk your head.

"You win this time," I hissed at my mudless enemy.

"Doofus," Lancia taunted. Insult to injury.

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

"We are now one and a half hours in," Titian said. I wondered if he'd thought beforehand about how boring this challenge would be after the first run of splats. Lancia and I were still as statues and had been for ninety minutes. We probably would be for the rest of the day.

"It's Lancia and Bailey, and neither one is giving up! We have a real fight here," Titian said, trying in vain to make things interesting. Lancia and I looked at each other like a couple of Medusas that locked eyes.

A breeze blew up and nudged my barrel ever so slightly. Lancia wobbled and caught herself as the same breeze caught her. She was fine, but I broke into a smile anyway. Once the barrels started moving, they weren't going to stop. It had turned into a bucking bronco contest. I might have had some experience with those.

"A breeze nudging Lancia and Bailey. They're both staying strong, but those barrels are shaking back and forth! This can't last much longer!" Titian said. It did, in fact, last much longer. Another ten minutes, actually. Ten minutes of me leaning forward on my stomach riding out the movement as Lancia expertly counterbalanced the motion but couldn't stop the rocking from getting bigger and bigger. It was an admirable show and I wouldn't have wanted to ride against her if she'd been from Ten, but I was used to so much worse. The gentlest bronco in the stables was choppier than this. After fifteen minutes of herky-jerky wind, Lancia gave up the ghost.

"Bailey wins the challenge! Fonu wins immunity and reward!"

* * *

 **Only a few more deaths until merge! I'm glad, since I'm having a hard time thinking of more prizes. Curse Survivor for giving out the same things over and over. Make sure to vote if you're in Heilala!**


	61. Executive Meddling

Angora Chenille, D8

For the first time in a long time, nearly all of us were agreed on what to do. Few of us liked it, but it was something that had to be done. Every three days (or roughly every six days, anyway) we had to vote someone out. Someone had to get picked, and we'd made our decision. It always prickled at the back of my mind that I could be cold and determined now, but one day, that decision was going to be for me. Every three days they rolled the dice, and one of our numbers came up. Every three days, there was one less number on the die.

"You've been out here a long time now," Titian remarked. "Things getting thin? Is anyone near the breaking point?"

"If any of us were, they'd already be dead," Charming said. "We're all tough. It's just a question of who's the toughest."

"Have you been talking about your votes? Deciding who's next?" Titian asked. Someone responded, but I wished he'd shut up. Of course we were talking about our votes. We were picking someone to die, like we always did. It was bad enough we had to do it. I didn't want to talk about it.

"Surely there must be someone you want gone," Titian pressed.

"No, there isn't. There's no one I want to kill. Maybe _you_ want to see more people die, but we don't, okay? We'll do it. We know we have to. But don't act like we want to!" I said, my voice getting louder and louder until it ended in a shout. The others looked at me with shock and surprise. I'd never yelled before, not since I could remember.

"It seems things _are_ wearing thin," Titian said.

"Come off it. Just because she doesn't want to kill someone, that doesn't make her hysterical," Lancia said. "We'll give you your votes." I'd thought my teammates might distance themselves from me after that, just to make sure Titian didn't get mad at them. I guess we were all pretty mad.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

Almost all of us knew who the first duelist would be. It should have made the rest of us safe, but of course a duel needed two people. Whoever it was would likely be in the duel by one vote. One of us could die because of one vote. In a normal Games, you could maybe get a few minutes of safety in a tree or under a rock. Here, there was never, ever any rest.

"Once the votes are read, the decision is final," Titian said. "Our first vote is for Trent. Our second vote is for Trent. Trent. Trent. three votes left, that's enough. Trent. Camellia."

 _Camellia._ That was the one vote. The one vote that meant she would be the one fighting the duel. We could all breathe easy now. Titian read the remaining superfluous vote.

"Trent and Camellia, please join me for the duel."

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6

 _They picked me._

I didn't expect it, but I wasn't really surprised. We all spent every tribal council sure our name would be on the papers. We were selfish at heart, and the only name we cared about was our own.

Titian stood in front of two podiums with some electrical gadget. Across the clearing, there was something that looked like a traffic light, but it had four bulbs. They were pointed toward us, but they were arranged in a diagonal line so they weren't lined up vertically.

"Today's challenge is mere child's play," Titian started. "There are four lights attached to the post across the field. Each light is a different color. On front of you on your podiums is one disc for each of you. The disc has four buttons with the same colors as the lights. When the challenge begins, one of the lights on the post will flash. Press the button of the same color on your disc. If you are both correct, the sequence will flash again, adding one additional color each time. The first person to press the wrong color at any point in the sequence will be eliminated. The other member will return to their tribe. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor."

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

 _I don't want to die._

Two months ago, I was home carving wood and playing with sticks in the forest. I was joking with my friends and fishing toads out of gutters so I could play with them and let them go. Now I was fighting for my life like an animal.

Back home I was a kid. I hadn't seen Potato with spikes sticking out of him like blades of grass. I hadn't seen Sammy gasping for air, her chest hitching and dropping as she twitched. I hadn't cried and screamed for both of them to keep living and not die. I'd never get that out of my mind. I might possibly get home, but I'd never be a kid again.

I fixed my eyes on the light across the field. If I looked at it hard enough, I didn't have to think about anything else. I just had to think about the color of the lights.

A red light flashed. I pressed the red button, and so did Trent. The red light flashed again, and then a green one. I pressed red and green. So did Trent.

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6

It was bad enough I was in a duel for my life. The last person I wanted to fight against was Camellia. She never hurt anyone. I could have fought Charming no problem. At least he was a Career. Camellia had been through enough. I didn't stop pressing the colored buttons, though. Casual fondness for someone didn't override my will to live. I had to keep trying. I hadn't voted for Camellia. It wasn't my fault this happened. She wasn't giving up, either. We both just wanted to go on living.

 _Red, green, green, yellow, green._ Each led into the next, and the muscle memory made it easier to follow along. Titian wasn't narrating for once. He didn't want to break our concentration.

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

 _Red, green, green, yellow, green, blue, red, blue._

The colors stretched on and on. I kept my eyes on the light and let my hand hover over the buttons. The colors were all that mattered. I pretended Trent wasn't even there. It was only me, and I had to keep going as long as possible. There wasn't anyone else. Just me.

* * *

Trent Buchanan, D6

 _Red, green, green, yellow, green, blue, red, blue, green, yellow, blue, blue, red._

I got halfway through and hesitated. I knew I'd forgotten something. The pattern was messed up in my head somewhere. I'd just pressed a blue and was about to press a yellow, but I changed my mind and hovered over the green. The break in the flow threw me off entirely, and I started from the beginning. But then I couldn't remember where I'd left off.

It was either a blue or a yellow. I had a fifty-fifty shot of life or death. I wondered what horrible death awaited me if I picked wrong. It was too late to go back and remember now. Everything was scrambled, and I didn't have the time or presence of mind to go back and figure out where I went wrong. I pressed yellow, and a buzzer sounded.

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

I hadn't wanted to look if Trent lost. I didn't want to see some horrible thing pop out and tear him apart. But when the buzzer sounded, I jumped violently and looked up reflexively at the direction the noise came from. I realized too late it was Trent, and I didn't have time to look away. Four lasers shot from the light post, in the same colors as the duel. I expected them to hit him, but they were aimed harmlessly a foot to his left. Then they jerked sideways swiftly and passed through him. He stayed standing for an instant, but we could see the blood oozing from the cuts. Four sections of Trent slid apart as they fell. I didn't even have enough left in me to be horrified.

* * *

 **Here's the sitch. Usually I wait longer so all the votes come in. This was a special case. The votes I did have went like this: One for Camellia, two for Trent, four not yet sent in. Thing was, Trent's submitter was gone. I waited around a while to make sure, but it seemed true. I don't care if someone is really really casual or never reviews, but if they're actually completely gone, I kill the Tribute just so someone can win who will be happy and excited about it. I sent out PMs to people who sent in votes and told them the deal, so I got some Trent votes that way. The others were bogus votes, including Trent's, since I thought it was funny. In all other cases I wait until all the votes are in that are going to come in, but I didn't think anyone would be mad at me removing an inactive Tribute.**

 **13th place: Trent Buchanan- sliced up by lasers**

 **I liked Trent. The parkour thing was cool, and he was active and easy to write. He was a last-minute submission, which leads me to believe he was submitted more so I'd have someone and less to actually follow the story. That works great for me- I have the Tribute I need and someone I can easily kill. It's too bad he was the one whose submitter bowed out, since he was so cool. Thanks Singlewave for sending him in. If you were just really busy and didn't get to me in time, sorry about that. I tried to leave a good amount of time, but some people have lives and stuff. Hopefully you're really gone and don't even care.**


	62. Surprise

**I forgot to tell you that if you wanted to see exactly what it looked like when Trent died, I totes stole the laser scene from Resident Evil. I haven't seen the movie (or played the video game), I just happened to see that scene.**

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr, D2

Titian had a particularly mirthful expression when we met him the next day for our newest challenge. I assumed someone surprising had gone home, like Charming, but it was just Trent. Something else was up, then. Something probably terrible and involving the death of puppies or other cute things. We waited in trepidation as Titian geared up to speak.

"Everyone, drop your tokens," Titian said. "You are officially merged."

 _Oh. That's interesting._ Obviously, it changed everything. Charming and I immediately made eye contact. Whatever old alliances we had- _he_ had, anyway- were out the window. The outliers would ally against us, since there was now no need at all to keep us around. Everything was now completely scrambled, and people who didn't keep up would die.

"Here's a map to your new beach, where you will make a new camp together and select a new tribe name," Titian continued in the background. "In addition, you will find several housewarming gifts. But first, we won't be needing this anymore." Titian took the shark-shaped wooden statuette we'd been passing back and forth between the wooden tribes and tossed it into a bag. "From now on, you're competing for this." He took a feathery beaded necklace from the same bag. "Ready for your first individual immunity challenge?"

Of course, no answer was needed. "If you were paying attention, you would have noticed this big ol' clothesline-looking thing behind me. Hanging from it are a series of pots on strings. There are three pots for each of you, and they have your names on them. One round at a time, one shot per round, you will pick up one of the mallets on the ground and throw them at a pot. If all three of your pots are broken you are out of the challenge. Last Tribute with a pot remaining wins the challenge. Usually there will be a prize, but this time the merge gifts will suffice. Tonight all of you will go to tribal council, where one of you will be eliminated. Any questions?"

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

It was a lot to take in. A new tribe, no more teams, different alliances, and so much more. However, I had a few advantages in this challenge. First, no one particularly wanted to take me out. Cross and Angora, who were on either side of me, both took aim at a pot marked _Charming._ One of them connected, and a pot exploded into shards. Unfortunately, I also had one _disadvantage._ I wasn't very good at throwing hammers.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

 _Oh, you're gonna smash my pot, are you? See how_ you _like it!_

I smashed one of Cross' pots with a well-thrown hammer. No one smashes _my_ pot!

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

The only two pots I could possibly reach were Abrexa's and Charming's. I liked them about the same, but Charming was already one pot down. I wanted to get rid of competition fast, since I wasn't particularly good at throwing. My first two shots had missed, but third time was the charm.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

"Charming down two pots! Rahina, Cross, and Sherman down one! Everyone else has all of theirs," Titian commented. There was a clatter as someone smashed another pot.

"Hey!" Bailey protested.

"Bailey loses her first pot!" Titian called. I took aim at one of Abrexa's pot. Swing and a miss. Then a hammer flew in from the side and smashed it. _That works._

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

I didn't really have any vendettas. I was just looking to hit pots. Someone had smashed another one of Cross' last round, and his last one was right in front of me.

 _Sorry, dude._ I threw the hammer and smashed the pot.

"Ash takes out Cross' last pot! Cross is the first competitor eliminated!"

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

I was down two pots. Angora was about to throw at my last pot. I took a wild shot at Charming's last pot, hoping to take him down with me.

"Angora takes down Sherman's last pot! At the last second, Sherman takes out Charming's last pot!"

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

Abrexa only had one pot left. She was a Career. Not that I would have felt bad if she wasn't, but it made it just a little sweeter.

"Abrexa loses her last pot! Lancia loses her first pot! Angora and Camellia have one pot left. Ash, Bailey, Rahina, Deme and Hannah all have two pots left," Titian said. Then Camellia came out of nowhere and smashed one of my pots.

"Fink."

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

I smashed one of Lancia's pots, bringing her down to one. Then Hannah smashed one of my pots.

 _No problem, I still have one left._

Ash smashed the other pot.

 _Problem..._

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

Rahina was about to throw her hammer at my pot. I made a desperate throw and took out her last pot before she could.

"Rahina loses her last pot!" Titian called. "Ash takes out Camellia's last pot!" Angora threw at Lancia's pot and missed. Lancia smashed one of Hannah's pots, leaving her with one. We were down to five.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

Bailey took aim at Hannah's pot, eliminating her. I threw at Angora's pot, hoping to remove her before she threw at me. Her pot exploded into shards, but it didn't do me any good. Ash swooped in once I was disarmed and my last pot crumpled into the dirt.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"It is down to Ash and Bailey, each with two pots left!" Titian said. "There is no need for them to move down the line anymore. They're both aiming at each other."

I took aim and smashed one of Bailey's pots straight off. Once I got the feel of the hammer, it wasn't very hard. Bailey took time to line up her shot, but to no avail. The hammer whistled past my pot, glancing off it but not breaking it. I threw another hammer at her, but missed.

"Ash, with two pots left! Bailey has just one!" Titian narrated. Bailey threw first the next round, and my second pot shattered. If I hit hers this round, I'd win. If I missed, we'd both throw as fast as we could next time, and the pottery chips would fall where they may. I checked the weight of the hammer and lined up my shot.

"Ash breaks Bailey's last pot! Ash wins individual immunity!"

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

It seemed the merge was something to be greatly celebrated. We got to our new beach to see it was covered with crates. Some were full of food, and not just more of the same gross rice we'd been eating for weeks. There were cans and fresh vegetables and a cooler packed with meat for our new grill. There were tarps and blankets and a toolbox so we could build our new shelter. All the personal items we'd lost a few challenges ago were there, too. Abrexa was nose deep in a psychology textbook, and Hannah was tossing a beach ball around with Camellia.

Deme, Charming and I were working on the shelter. It wasn't hard- we just made walls and a roof out of the tarps and anchored them in place with some logs. We spread the blankets and pillows inside on top of a carpet of palm fronds.

"This is nicer than my actual house," Rahina said when we were done. She stretched out inside and ran her hands over the blankets. "I like it."

"There's a first," Bailey teased.

"Now I got something worth liking," Rahina teased back.

"Meat's done!" Hannah yelled from the grill. There was a small stampede as we gathered around the blanket we'd set out as a table.

I'd never eaten so much food in my life. Manners went out the window as twelve half-starved kids pigged out on every food in the world except rice. I'd forgotten there were so many different tastes in the world, and that it was possible to actually fill your whole mouth with food. I felt as swollen as a snake, but I kept going anyway. There was a lot to discuss before the first merged vote. The only one really safe was Ash. We didn't care about that just yet, though. There was food to eat first.

* * *

 **Surprise! I did the merge early. I looked it up and there have been 10-member juries, so I was good to go. I wanted a really big jury for whatever reason, so I went with it. This also marks the debut of my new system devised for individual immunity. Here's how it goes:**

 **I pick a challenge beforehand, alternating between what type of skills it needs. Once I pick a challenge, I determine what skill categories it includes from the categories I had in the forms. Then I add up each Tribute's totals in those categories. If possible, I divide them by a common factor, but otherwise I leave them. After that, I use a random number generator to generate numbers for each Tributes in proportion to their skill point totals in the applicable categories. The Tribute with the highest random number generated wins immunity. That way there's some measure of realism while still allowing for x-factors like determination and luck. I'll watch and make sure people don't win twice in a row or things like that. Hopefully this works out. Otherwise I guess I'll have to figure out something new.**

 **Everyone make sure to vote this time! I'll think of a new tribe name for next chapter, or if someone sends in a good one I'll use that. I greatly welcome this new merged tribe, since it means I will never again confuse tribe members, as in the baffling case of Sherman and his cohorts sneaking into Titian's yacht.**


	63. H2OhNO!

Cross Spauldings, D8

I went over my letter in my head as we filed into our first joint tribal council. I didn't have to feel guilty about it anymore. Sometimes there were bad things in life and there wasn't anything you could do. I'd do what I could to stop the Games, but right now I had to live with them. It was like Uncle Morty said- you had to deal with enough real sin in your life without inventing more.

"Welcome to the first merged tribal council," Titian said. "Have you picked a new name?"

"We decided to call ourselves Feleilei," Charming said. "It means 'unity'."

"Very fitting, since you are about to pick one member to cast out," Titian said.

"I _tried_ to tell them," Rahina muttered from the sidelines.

"How's life on the new merged tribe?" Titian asked.

"There's lots of food," Camellia said.

"It's pretty much the same as before. More people, but they're nice," Angora said.

"How is the new arrangement going to change your voting strategy?" Titian asked.

"I think anyone who would tell you about their strategy in public is already dead," Lancia said.

"Okay, good point," Titian admitted. "You know what, let's just vote."

I knew I wasn't supposed to judge, but it was hard to keep my mind totally free of that when I made my vote. There were people I wanted to win, and there were a few people I thought in my heart didn't deserve it. I was hardly one to talk about deserving things. I was a sinner just like everyone else. It was always easier to see other people's sins than your own, and the sins you didn't struggle with always seemed like the more serious ones. Right was right and wrong was wrong. I didn't need to be inserting degrees and variations to puff myself up. I stuck my vote in the urn and tried to forget about it. None of us had the choice they said we did anyway. If the Capitol wanted someone to win, they'd make it happen. They picked who lived and who died. We just got the blame.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

I didn't think my name was coming up, but there was never any security. If it could be Ruby, it could be me. Jackie was another reminder. It didn't matter how strong or popular you were. You couldn't predict anything about the votes.

"Once the votes are read, the decision is final. Ash has individual immunity, so he is safe. Let's read the votes."

"First vote is for Charming." Charming rolled his eyes at the return of the phantom voter. "Second vote is for Abrexa." She looked like she'd known it was coming. "Charming." Abrexa gave him a quick look. "Abrexa." He looked back at her, both of them recognizing they didn't want the other as an opponent. "Charming. Abrexa. Charming. Abrexa. That's enough. The other votes don't matter. Our duelists are Charming and Abrexa." Charming and Abrexa wore matching expressions of displeasure and apprehension over their dueling partners. "Please join me for the duel."

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

The first thing was to keep my composure. Angry as I was that enough people turned on me to get me into a duel, it was just the game. It wasn't personal, they just didn't want to fight me themselves. If I lost my cool and blew up, I'd never be able to regain their trust or good graces. Obviously I had to beat Abrexa, but this could be a good thing for me. Beating my strongest opponent would send a message that I wasn't to be crossed.

Titian led us to the beach for another water-oriented challenge. Neither Abrexa nor I were extensively trained in water, so the playing field was level.

"Today's challenge is fitting for two Careers. It's all about endurance. Out in the water, you will see a pair of lights. The lights are attached to the tops of two cages. Each of you will enter one of the cages, which currently have two inches of breathing space. When the challenge begins, the cages will slip under the surface entirely. From then on, you simply hold your breath. The first Tribute to panic and attempt to breath underwater, or to lose consciousness, loses the challenge. The winner returns to Feleilei. Any questions?"

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr, D2

I'd read a lot of psychology books in my life. The discipline overlapped greatly with anatomy and neurology, so I had a very basic and foggy understanding of bits of those disciplines as well. One of the many things I'd read about was anxiety. During panic attacks, a person often began to breathe very rapidly. This hyperventilation eventually caused the sufferer to faint, but before that, the quick breaths elevated the level of oxygen in the blood. I might be able to use that. In true Career fashion, I was about to gamble my life.

The water was warmer than I expected for a late, moonlit night, but it was still chilly around my swimsuited body. I held on to the bars of the cage roof and started to breathe as quickly as I could, sucking in oxygen rapidly. A masked diver perched atop the cage, ostensibly for safety. _Gotta make sure the deathmatch is_ safe. Titian counted us down from ten to give us time to catch our breath. At three, I stopped and took one long, deep breath, filling my chest. The cages dropped suddenly, extending no mercy if one of us had waited an instant too long to breathe. I felt like I had plenty of air- my chest even felt weirdly inflated, hopefully from my experiment- but I was sure Charming felt the same way.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

Abrexa and I were both outfitted with earpieces so we could hear Titian's melodious voice telling us exactly how long we'd been underwater. We also had swim goggles so we could see each others' beautiful faces. Unfortunately we weren't able to mess with each other, since we were both conserving oxygen by not moving. We both quickly bobbed up with our backs near the surface in a neutral dead-man's float. It was a perfectly appropriate position.

"Thirty seconds into the challenge, and neither Abrexa nor Charming are showing any signs of discomfort," Titian narrated. Neither of us were showing it, but I was sure Abrexa was as nervous as I was. Careers didn't like confinement, and we didn't like inaction. This claustrophobic challenge, over which we had so little control, was a nightmare.

My lungs started to feel the lack of oxygen before the thirty-second mark, but it was only a slight nagging. I had a long way still to go. It was eerie how short this challenge was going to be.

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr, D2

"We are now one minute into the duel. Still no motion from Charming and Abrexa."

I felt it. My chest was tight and my lungs tingled. I kept wanting to take the natural motion of sucking in a breath and stopping myself. Panic never seemed more than an instant away when I thought of how my body was slowly dying and how the surface was mere inches away but that I might never feel it again.

My mother would be watching me at home. I wondered what she would think if she saw her little girl thrash and claw at the water as water shot into her nose and throat. It was too late now to regret my mistakes. I was a coward of a Career, telling myself I could beat everyone when I couldn't even stand up to my mother.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

There were all sorts of reasons Careers volunteered. Most did it for vague ideas of fame and glory. We were taught that life was cheap and life was short, so it was easier for us to risk it. I hadn't been sure I wanted to volunteer at all at first, but when I heard it was going to be like the old shows I was such a fan of, I got more excited. I'd still known the risk, though. I didn't come into this blind.

The risk was more real when my chest was hitching involuntarily and the edges of my vision were going fuzzy. There was a painful, sucking vacuum in my lungs that screamed at me to just _breathe,_ no matter what it was that stopped me. I felt myself dissolving into blood and tissue and organs ruled by survival instincts instead of higher judgment.

"One minute and forty-five seconds into the challenge. They have to be hurting now," Titian said. _We are._

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr D2

I was shaking, and I hoped it didn't burn too much oxygen. I'd closed my eyes fifteen seconds earlier, afraid of the squiggly lines and black spots I was seeing. My diaphragm tightened and snapped every few seconds as I started to take a breath and stopped. I focused my mind on the air in my mouth and imagined it going in and out of my lungs, replenishing me over and over.

It wasn't possible to go on any longer. Time became a surreal, cyclical abstraction in the dark, weightless underwater world. My head bobbed and drifted with the rest of me. I'd never been so tired, not even after all the nights in a half-baked shelter sleeping on sand. All my worries were fading, and I was forgetting why it was I refused to take a breath.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

My brain couldn't function anymore. There wasn't any fuel for it. The negative pressure in my lungs spread through my body and overrode my thoughts. Air became my only concern, and it blotted out everything around me- even the water. I knew the answer wasn't as simple as opening my mouth and breathing, but my body had other ideas. My mouth opened reflexively, and my lungs got ready to accept the oxygen I'd be taking in. Instead, a wet, choking flood clogged my throat and bubbled as it went down. The sensation forced me to suck in with my nose to relieve the pressure, but it just made it worse. Abrexa's cage shot upward suddenly and an arm reach down to grab her.

Drowning was much easier than waiting to drown. I felt weightless as I settled to the bottom of the cage. A trail of bubbles led to the surface, and they glittered in the moonlight. My lungs didn't burn anymore. There must have been oxygen in the water after all. It made me euphoric.

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr D2

Pressure tightened suddenly under my arms, and then I was cold. Something hard pressed into my arms, and something soft was under my back. My chest kept going in and out, and the world seemed suddenly empty and easy to move in.

I opened my eyes and saw a diver holding a mask over my mouth. I was flopped over his legs like a drowned rat as he revived me. As soon as I recognized the mask, I grabbed it in both hands and clutched it to my face as I panted. When I was strong enough to pull up my head, I looked around at the water's glassy surface.

"He's already dead," Titian said in my ear. "You live to fight another day."

* * *

 **My POV order might have seemed a little random lately. I put asterisks after Tributes for their POVs and I'm getting all the people who were down one back on track. After that it will be more diverse.**

 **12th place: Charming Goodwin, D1- Drowned**

 **I think I did it right this time. The votes were pretty even between Charming and Abrexa, so I went back to past councils and looked at those for help. The phantom voter meant that Charming had a few extra votes, so I picked him. HOWEVER, more information his submitter deserves to know will be forthcoming in a PM. As is my usual method, once I picked the loser I picked a challenge that catered to the weakest skill categories so it wouldn't be a totally bizarre death. In addition, while men generally have bigger lungs than women, women tend to use oxygen more efficiently, and Abrexa inadvertedly applied the same breathing strategy SEALs use before long free dives. Also she had higher scores in stamina and strength, since Charming picked a sensible jack-of-all-trades aproach. Anyway, We all know Charming was cool. He already got one eulogy when I goofed up, so I've pretty much said most of it. The way the votes suddenly changed, I suspected both he and Abrexa were going down and it was just a matter of which was this council and which was next council. So thanks again, IvolunteerasAuthor. Charming went a lot farther than a Career was expected to go in this Games, and he masterminded a lot of blindsides, from Jackie to Ruby. He wasn't really a villain, but he sure got things done.**

 **NOTE: I DO have a plan for the final vote. It's suuuuuuper cool but I don't want to spoil it. But real talk it's probably just something boring like Panem votes and you all count as Panem.**


	64. I Leave For THREE DAYS

**And THIS happens!**

 **Oh dear, what a mess I've cultivated. I better come clean and sort all this out.**

 **First off, Camellia: This time around, she IS technically eligible to win, since it's a voting Games. HOWEVER, I don't think she will, since people probably will vote for someone not affiliated with the author, which is perfectly reasonable. As for accusations of nepotism, they should be addressed.**

 **Camellia found an idol. She found it fair and square. Some people thought she had an advantage because she knew I like mountains, but mightn't some of you also know I like mountains? Since I literally wrote an entire SYOT on K2 and put notes in every chapter about how I like mountains? Honestly, Silver guessed K2 after some thinking (other people had already guessed by then) and then she was stumped. I specifically chose Annapurna because she DIDN'T know I liked that one. She immediately pointed out that she didn't want to be unfair with it and wouldn't use it on herself.**

 **When the Charming situation happened, I brought him back because I made mistakes, but Silver volunteered to give the idol back. I didn't think that was fair either. She found it fairly. I shouldn't favor her for being my sister, but she shouldn't be treated harsher because of it either. So I filed it away in my mind to find some smaller thing to give her for finding the idol.**

 **Timelines crossed conveniently when I warned Trent's submitter he was on the bubble as an abandoned character. When it looked like Camellia would die, it was right about the time I was going to cut him anyway. There was a reason I wanted her to make it halfway through, so I thought that worked right out. Any vote advantage (exactly like the idol she found) would mean someone died unfairly in her place, but Trent was a non-entity. This was probably the only chance to get her the advantage she deserved from the idol without shafting someone else. So I removed Trent as clutter (it would have been a huge hassle to keep him for a spoilery reason I shall reveal dramatically later). After that, Camellia's debt from finding the idol was repaid. She hasn't been looking for idols since- otherwise she probably would have found the latest one.**

 **If any of the unrest comes from the two votes I didn't reveal, I did that because that's what Jeff usually does at such times. I anticipated there might be trouble because of the close vote, so I'll reveal them. One was Abrexa, one was a throwaway (Deme, I think). Despite that, when I went back and counted earlier votes, like Caleb pointed out I should have done the first time I cut Charming, Charming had more. Another factor in the decision was that it was Abrexa's first duel and Charming had been in some. Another factor was some reviews expressing sadness that Charming kept winning duels. Another factor was the fact that I see the votes as they come in and can monitor the trends. As soon as the polls opened, votes poured in for Charming. I could see people were turning against him and fully expected it was simply a matter of one dying and the other dying next, so it was a coin toss who I killed this time and I wanted to do the water challenge and have it turn out like this.**

 **I hope this addresses charges of favoritism towards Camellia and unfairness towards Charming. Usually I let the reviews go where they may, but people have suggested I take these down just to reduce nastiness, and that's a good idea. I would have done it earlier, but I was at work for three overnights and slept all day. I came back to WW...IV, is it? Which isn't a complaint against you, I just exasperate myself at how I always manage to set the site on fire.**

 **One more note: Redwut has returned, so I don't have to kill Ash. My sights would have turned to Rahina ( sadly- she's fun), whose submitter HOLLOWMAN has been gone lately. However, when I asked around about Ash, the voters said there was someone they wanted to vote out, so Ash and Rahina are safe unless they get voted for. I'll remove them (Rahina now, I suppose) after the next cut.**

Titian Qin

 _Dang I like shooting things. We should do this again, but I get to shoot_ all _the losers. Or we still do crazy challenges but I kill them after every challenge. And I should get to throw things, too. Someone- let's be real, Rahina- is working on a puzzle and I just nail her in the face with a tomato._


	65. Cock-a-Doodle-Doo

**CONTINUITY ERROR: Bailey and Hannah are friends and probably wouldn't have aimed at each others' pots. That was just me pretty much picking random names.**

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

From our perspective, there was almost nothing to the challenge. There was only still water for a minute and a half, and then the surface was stirred by bubbles. We didn't even know who won until Abrexa was hauled up like flotsam.

"You're not going to haul up Charming?" Deme's tone was halfway between a hopeful question and an accusation.

"I think it's rather a concise challenge, don't you? It takes care of its own loose ends," Titian said.

"Abrexa's almost dead, too," Angora said.

"She's only mostly dead," Titian said, waving his arm dismissively.

Abrexa spent the rest of the day crashed in the shelter while the rest of us discussed the turn of events.

"That was really messed up," Lancia said.

"It was so quiet. And then the bubbles," Hannah said quietly.

"I didn't think either of them would ever win. I thought they'd be there forever," Sherman said.

"One of them _is_ there forever," Ash said. All the heads in the circle jerked over to him.

"You don't think?" Hannah asked, her face pale in the firelight.

"They wouldn't leave him there! They send the dead ones home," Cross said, but without certainty. I looked out at the waves breaking softly against the sand and imagined the depths underneath. I thought of a cage resting on the bottom, with seaweed drifting lazily against the bars. And something else drifting lazily within.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

"Welcome back, Heifona. Are you ready for today's challenge?" Titian asked.

"Most of us," Camellia said. Abrexa's hair was frizzed and she had bags under her eyes. Most of us looked tired, but she looked like she'd been through... exactly what she'd gone through.

"Good enough," Titian said. "Today we'll be testing your balance and coordination." Everyone looked at Rahina. "This odd-looking setup behind me isn't as ominous as it probably looks. On the far end we have a bunch of spoons and a bunch of eggs. When the challenge begins, you will put an egg on a spoon and use the spoon to guide the egg through a series of obstacles. If the egg falls off, you must go back to the start. Don't worry, they are boiled. The first to get their egg to the finish line wins individual immunity."

"But that's not all. What's the appropriate prize for an egg challenge?" Titian asked, and then he took something off the table behind him. "A giant bucket of fried chicken. We also have a big bowl of mashed potatoes and a big bowl of coleslaw, along with soda. The winner will choose one teammate to take with them to this picnic lunch, which will be set up as the challenge progresses. Worth it?"

"Let's not chicken... oh whatever, yeah we want it," Camellia said.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

The first part wasn't too hard. The tricky part was actually keeping the egg on the spoon, not the obstacles. The spoon was flattened out, so the egg kept rolling around. The first real obstacle was passing the egg from one spoon to another after I maneuvered it through a thin corridor. I went to drop the egg, and... SPLAT!

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

After one drop, I was at the second obstacle. The obstacles were made out of wire, making a frame we had to finagle the egg through. There was a curlicue in the wire that I had to wiggle the handle of the spoon through, since the curl wasn't big enough to fit the egg. I had to tilt the handle to a precarious angle in order to get through. Turned out it was _too_ precarious.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

Sherman and I were behind everyone else. Some of the others were on the final obstacle, and we were still trying to lift our eggs up through a series of horizontal wire spokes that tried to poke our eggs off. Sherman's egg toppled off, but I got mine to the top. Not that it mattered if I couldn't transfer it from this spoon to the next.

Ahead of me, Bailey's egg fell on the last obstacle. I went from being dead least to being in the middle just like that.

* * *

Lancia Audren

It would be better to stay in the middle the whole time than to get all the way to the end and then have to start again.

 _PLOP!_

 _Well speak of the devil._ The first obstacle was a breeze the third time, though. I'd only done the second obstacle once, but it was still easy. I wasn't out of it yet. The game reset itself about every five seconds.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

I started out in last place, since I moved so slowly. Then I was in the middle, behind three frontrunners and ahead of two overachievers, since I moved so slowly. I was nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, and speeding up would just make all my worries come true. I moved at a glacial pace, plodding through the obstacles. I was leaned so far in close to my egg I didn't even notice where the others were anymore. I passed my egg from one spoon to another and looked up for the next obstacle.

"Cross wins immunity and reward!" Titian yelled. _What?_ I looked around and saw there _was_ no next obstacle. Everyone else had paused with their eggs in various sections of the course. I was all alone at the end. _Well when did_ that _happen?_

"Cross now gets to pick one teammate to take with him to his reward," Titian said. Everyone looked at Lancia, who awkwardly smiled.

"I think I'll take Lancia," I said. We weren't a couple or anything, but we'd been allies from the start. She helped me through a tough time. The least I could give her was fried chicken.

* * *

 **Like Titian mentioned, this challenge used coordination and balance. Cross scored the highest- first there was an 80-80 tie (out of 80) and then he got 45.**

 **Both Ash and Rahina's submitters have reappeared, so they aren't in danger anymore- unless you vote for them. In either case I would have held off anyway, since the voters said there was someone they wanted to vote for.**

 **All right ONE comment on the fiasco-that-must-not-be-named: "whittle" means to carve wood. So every time I see "whittle baby", I imagine this cute little carved infant.**

 **HUGE NOTE: Caleb's LAST EVER SYOT, "Crash Landing Book Three", is open. Yall better get your submissions in FAST because I'm sure everyone wants in.**


	66. 0-100 Real Quick

**I accidentally used the wrong name for Feleilei. I got a lot of good names and wrote them all down, leading to me using the wrong one. I liked all the suggestions and only picked Feleilei since it amused me that the tribe would be named "unity".**

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

As soon as Lancia and Cross came back, we made them spill every detail about the picnic. We weren't really _that_ hungry, even though most of the merge food was gone and we were back to rice again. It was just nice to hear about fried chicken. Rahina had never even eaten it before in her life, which was almost more tragedy than I could bear. We were still talking about it on the way to tribal council.

"Good evening, tribes. I'm happy to see Abrexa is bearing up well," Titian said. He'd brought in some medical staff to check her out after the challenge, looking for things like brain damage. We wouldn't want her to die before she got killed. She definitely wasn't in top condition, but it seemed she wasn't actively dying.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like you're going after the Careers," Titian said. "Or at this point, the Career."

"We just want to get rid of the biggest threats. Now that it's not teams anymore, it's everyone for themselves," Bailey said.

"You sure I'm still the biggest threat?" Abrexa asked wryly.

"And if she is, what about the person who faces her in the duel? If she comes back from a near-unanimous vote, she's going to be pretty mad," Titian said.

"What if it isn't _near_ -unanimous?" Deme asked.

"I don't think Abrexa is going to vote for herself," Titian said.

"Oh, yeah," Deme said sheepishly. We would have laughed, but Titian's words were scarier than he meant for once. One of us was going up against Abrexa. Whatever name she wrote down, that person was as much in danger as she was. And she would probably pick the weakest person around. And that was me.

It had been difficult for me to get past the fact that every day, one of the people I lounged around camp with had written my name down and wanted me to die. We all hoped we'd slip under the radar and never get noticed, but someone had. One of the friendly faces that never had a mean word to say to me intended me to die. And I did the same back to them.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

"Once the votes are read, the decision is final," Titian said. "Our first vote is for Abrexa." Abrexa looked like she'd already died back in the cage. She didn't get any more downcast when death came for her a second time. "Abrexa. Abrexa. Abrexa. Abrexa. Abrexa. Abrexa. Abrexa. Abrexa. Abrexa. Ten votes Abrexa, one vote left. Whoever's name is on this last vote will join Abrexa in the duel. Let's read the last vote."

"Rahina."

" _ &!#*%# KIDDING ME?!"_

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

Here I was a- _ &($ ^_-gain fighting another !(#( & duel because someone else got almost every _!*#$( ^_ vote and I got _one!_ Not even two this time! _ONE !$* T$( vote!_

"I got a little lazy today, so I thought we'd use the same challenge from this morning. The only difference is I'm going to make it a little harder. This time, you can't let your spoon touch the wire frame. Are you ready to duel?"

"No one on this godforsaken planet is readier than I am," I said.

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr, D2

Rahina had won, what, four duels already? She was like a cockroach. No matter how many times they tried to kill her, she just wouldn't die. She could possibly be here at the end of it all, not because anyone ever wanted her, but because every attempt at assassination failed. A Career wasn't supposed to be scared, but I'd never wanted to be a Career in the first place.

There was something else keeping me off my game as well. Even the most novice of psychologists knew about trauma. Careers could be big and bad and callous, but we were human. We had emotions and we processed them. A near-death experience, especially one as violent as mine, was going to leave marks and it had. I hadn't slept at all last night. Whenever my breathing started to get slower, the change in respiration reminded me of the tremors in my chest as I floated underwater. The sound of the crashing waves never left me, even here in the center of the island. I couldn't concentrate on the duel ahead of me, and that made it hopeless.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

I picked my way carefully through the wire maze. Abrexa had a steady hand and nerves of steel. If I had to start again even once, I wouldn't have a chance. Her pace was the same as mine, keeping us dead even throughout the beginning of the obstacles.

Someday, the duels were going to catch up with me. I couldn't outrun death forever. I'd been doing it for years, ever since I hit the streets. A lot of kids like me disappeared one way or another. We sold drugs or our bodies to make ends meet, and no one ever met an old prostitute or an old junkie. We went into someone's basement by choice or by force, and some of us didn't come out. I was as far away from childhood as any gray-haired old woman, and I was just as close to death. I'd end up like all the others. We didn't go on milk cartons like the pretty missing kids. We died and no one missed us, because no one noticed.

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr, D2

 _I had everything, and I wasted it._

I was from Two. No one from Two had to worry about the Games. Two, One and Four were the only places in the Districts where kids had anything close to a choice. People killed for a chance to get into the Games, and I took someone's chance away to get something I didn't even want.

My mother wasn't going to get what she wanted either. If I got through this duel, they'd keep sending me back. Every single vote was against me. Even in the cutthroat world of the Games, everyone had a common enemy to unite against. I was their scapegoat, and there wouldn't be redemption for me. One day or another, I was going to die. There would be no Victor in my family.

There was probably a term for someone like me- someone who consistently did the worst thing possible for themselves and possessed courage enough to face death but not courage enough to grab onto life and run away with it. They say there's no one crazier than a shrink.

My spoon brushed the wire. I felt the metal clink and thought how I'd have to start again. Instead, my hand froze into place as electricity stiffened my arm and struck me like a train. My teeth ground together until they cracked and the fingers of my free hand clenched into a fist until my nails drew blood. I wondered briefly if sparks were flying off me and if my hair was on end.

I knew of the effects of electricity on the brain. People used to do it back in the old days, and sometimes it actually did help. At this level, though, it just fried your brain like an egg. And so it did.

* * *

 **I only got about eight votes, but all but Abrexa's were for Abrexa. I filled in the rest as Abrexa, who legit did vote for Rahina. That was even funnier to me. I didn't even set out to pick on Rahina this time and she still got sent to the duel. But since it was 7-1, she obviously wasn't in danger.**

 **11th place: Abrexa James, Jr- Electrocuted**

 **Well what do you know, it was Abrexa. I knew it was going to be her and Charming, I guess because they were the strongest. Now I have no clue who's next. I do have one guess, but I don't want to say it in case I jinx that Tribute.**

 **Abrexa was the only one I was low-key rooting for. I kept my distance on purpose because there was no telling who would win this time and I didn't want to color things, but I had a random soft spot for the Career who got bullied into this by her family. She was realistic about her chances throughout and was the definite underdog, especially when she ended separated from all the other Careers on Fonu. I was blown away she didn't get voted out right away and surprised at how few she got throughout the game. She really only got targeted over the last two councils. So I'm a little sad to see her go, but them's the breaks. Thanks Nargles for making Abrexa and letting me switch her from a boy to a girl. She did better than anyone expected with a hostile team.**

 **I've been working on a series of drawings of the deathmatches inspired by MRKenn's original drawings. They're on Deviant art under LadyCordeliaStuart.**


	67. Put The Lime In The Coconut

Lancia Audren, D6

It felt amazing to be able to eat as much as I wanted again, and to be able to eat something other than rice and fruit. It was also nice to have some time to talk with Cross without anyone spying.

"Did you think you'd make it this far?" I asked, sprawled out on the checkered picnic cloth.

"I didn't know what to expect," he said "How about you?"

"I hoped I would, but I didn't really know either. Any week, it could be anyone."

"Who do you think it will be this week?" Cross asked.

"Maybe Rahina. No one really likes her, and she keeps getting sent into duels. One of these days she'll lose," I said.

"I don't want her to die or anything, but I guess it will probably happen," Cross said. We discussed our votes and our strategies, which seemed to have done well so far.

"How's it going to work at the end? Will they have the last three vote for a Victor?" Cross wondered aloud.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that too. And what if there's a tie?" I said.

"Everyone wins," Cross said.

"With Titian, probably no one wins," I said. "Titian can be the Victor."

It was a lighthearted conversation, but neither of us were actually lighthearted. Back when I was a little girl, we played musical chairs at birthday parties or get-togethers. At first, it was easy. There were so many chairs that finding one was no problem. But it kept getting harder and harder as the rounds went on. It got more serious as the number of chairs dwindled. Kids started running faster, and there were more scuffles over seats. Out of all the games I'd played, I couldn't remember who won any of them. There were so many kids, it was hard to pick the one winning face out of the crowd. I _did_ remember that it was never me, though.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

I never knew what to expect when we got to the challenge clearing. This time, there was nothing but a bunch of tubes and a big pile of coconuts. All in all, nothing too scary. No flamethrowers, no spears, no brass knuckles... coconuts I could deal with.

"Good morning, Feilala. Today's challenge is a little nutty. _Coco_ nutty. When the challenge begins, each of you will run to the pile of coconuts, grabbing one. You will break the coconut however you can and carry the pieces to a tube and pour the coconut water in. First to fill their tube wins immunity and reward."

"As you can see, I haven't brought anything with me today. Today's prize was a little too big for me to carry. The winner of the challenge will choose one guest to go with them on a spa getaway. There you will enjoy a real shower, a massage, and various other spa treatments, as well as refreshments. Worth playing for?"

"You already did the pun, so whatever," Camellia said. It _was_ worth playing for, though. We used a wooden tub and stove water at home. I'd never even taken a shower before.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

Getting a coconut was easy. Breaking it was harder. At camp we used the hammer from our toolbox, or the screwdriver if we wanted to drain the juice. All we had here was other coconuts or whatever we could find in the sand. I started smacking two coconuts together, hoping one or the other would break eventually.

"Sherman has his coconut open!" Titian narrated. Of course Sherman would. He and Deme were the strongest here. Sherman ran across the sand and poured his water into the tube.

"Rahina has a coconut open! Deme close behind her!" Titian added. One of my coconuts cracked, and I shoved my fingers into the crack and tore it open, adding my name to Titian's list.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

The rocks in the sand weren't very big, but they were big enough to pound a coconut with. I found that the coconuts opened easiest when I whacked them at their ends, and soon I'd made three trips to and from my tube. It was almost halfway full, and it was still anyone's game. However, there _was_ a clear leader. I didn't know how she was doing it, but Rahina was tearing through those coconuts like no one's business. She, Deme and Sherman were the definite frontrunners.

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

"Rahina, using two rocks like a hammer and chisel! _Very_ effective strategy. Only a few more coconuts and her tube will be full!"

I had no shame. I found another rock and copied Rahina. I wasn't hopelessly far behind her. If I ran fast enough, I could make up the lost time. My fingers were raw from the scratchy coconut fibers and my nails were torn and ragged. Whoever got the spa day was going to need it.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

Two more coconuts and I was in. Even with Rahina's technique, I was still breaking coconuts faster. Where she had the advantage was running speed. I was no slouch, but she ran like a cat.

I ran up to the pile of coconuts as Rahina was still breaking into one. I pounded a coconut against another and opened a crack straight away. As I was forcing it open, Rahina darted across the field. She poured her water into her tube as Titian bent beside it peering in.

"She makes the mark! Rahina wins immunity and reward!"

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

 _Well, who would have thought._ I hadn't really thought I would win any challenges. It wasn't some pious humility. There were just a lot of people who wanted to win and I wasn't particularly gifted. It was funny I won a spa day, though. It would be nice and all, but I would have preferred the fried chicken.

"Who's going with you on a spa getaway?" Titian asked. Even if I _was_ that mean, "nobody" wasn't an option. I didn't need to alienate anyone any more than I already had. It was a miracle I wasn't dead yet, and it certainly wasn't for lack of effort on their part. Since there was no one I wanted to take any more than anyone else, I made my decision strategically. _Who would be the most enthusiastic and make me look the nicest? And who would be okay company?_

"I'd like to take Hannah."

* * *

 **Scout's honor, I did not plan this. Rahina really did get the highest number (this challenge was strength and speed). It was out of 1000, and she got 994. She was the one I thought was going home, so there's a monkey wrench in THAT plan. I couldn't have made more drama if I'd tried. There's someone else I suspect will go, so we'll see if I'm right.**

 **BTW someone still has the immunity idol. Their Tribute is dead but they can still give the idol to someone. Just a reminder in case anyone forgot.**


	68. It Wasn't Jack the Ripper

**I got done with work! I work again tomorrow and the next day, but then I'm off.**

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

Never in my life would I have thought I'd be in the Hunger Games in a pop-up spa with Rahina Herrington. Even if my life ended up much shorter than normal, I'd still be one of the most experienced and traveled people in Panem.

"Would you care for a massage?" a hula-skirted attendant asked us.

"How about you come back when the food is gone?" Rahina asked, but not as rudely as normal. She was more pleased with the refreshments than the idea of a strange woman rubbing her all over. I also wasn't quite sure about that, and we both opted to take a simple shower first. For the first time in a month, I was actually clean. The cement floor under me turned into a muddy blur as layers of caked-on dirt and grime sloughed off me, leaving my skin pink and tender. I'd forgotten what it was like to not have dirt under my fingernails.

"Thanks for picking me," I said to Rahina when we crossed paths again as we were getting our nails fussed with and painted. "Why me, anyway?"

"I had to pick someone. You're not annoying," Rahina said. It felt like a great commendation coming from someone as surly as Rahina.

"Ooh, they have glitter! I'm gonna put glitter on mine," I said when the attendant brought in a tray of nail polish bottles and accessories. At the same time, another woman brushed out my snarly, matted hair, making it into something soft and presentable again.

"That's so silly," Rahina said, but I'd seen her looking at a different glittery bottle.

"Yeah, but I don't care," I said. " _I_ don't care what people think."

"That's not it! If I wanted glitter I'd get some," Rahina protested. I shrugged as I picked out a glittery polish.

"Know what? I _will_ get glitter, and no one better say anything," Rahina said.

" _I_ won't, since I have it too," I said.

"That's right," Rahina said. And so Rahina got the glittery polish she'd wanted all along while at the same time proving her toughness, all because of a few well-placed words. It was the least I could do after she took me along.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"Is anyone surprised at today's immunity winner?" Titian asked as we sat around the fire. Rahina gave him an offended look.

"I mean, it's pretty obvious by now that Rahina's a competitor. She's won like, a million duels," I said.

"Yes, quite," Titian said. "Would she have been in another one today if she hadn't won immunity?"

"Man, you really don't like Rahina," Angora said. "We're not gonna _tell_ everyone if we were going to vote for her. Let's just count the votes.

"All those votes that aren't for me." Rahina got in the last word. Titian glared at the papers as he read.

"Our first vote is for Bailey." Bailey went stiff immediately as she saw who our second choice had been. The rest of the votes were a technicality. " Bailey. Bailey. Sherman. Bailey. Bailey. Bailey. Six votes Bailey, one vote Sherman. One vote left... The person joining Bailey in a duel is Sherman."

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

Even when everyone came together and decided who was out, there was still always collateral damage. The person we targeted had to vote for someone, and this time, someone else didn't get the memo. My money was on Hannah, since she and Bailey were friends. I couldn't blame her. I would have gone to the duel anyway. This time it was on the beach again. There were two horizontal metal bars mounted on frames on platforms thirty feet into the water, like monkey bars on a playground.

"Today's duel is so simple I barely have to explain it. Get on the monkey bars. Hold on. Don't fall into the water," Titian said. "Ta-da, there you go. Let's get started."

Bailey and I took a second to get properly positioned before we grabbed on. As soon as we did, the platforms lowered into the water so we were dangling in midair. The beach was silent, because we knew we were in for a long haul. This wasn't a challenge that would take minutes. It would take hours.

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

 _Did I do it wrong?_

Sherman had his hands turned around so his fingers pointed toward my face. When I climbed on things, I pointed my fingers outwards. I didn't know which was better, but it was likely the difference between life and death. So early in the challenge, I wasn't that worried yet about the challenge. My first thought was for the people on the beach. They were going to be there for hours watching two people dangle.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

The first half-hour went by without incident. My arms were sore, but I could go a lot longer. I'd never been so aware of my weight and how much space I took up. My fingers were stiff, even though they didn't really hurt yet. It was weird not having my feet touch the ground. My shoes felt light and airy, like I was floating.

I'd never really thought about death before. Even with Reaping day, I only thought about getting Reaped. The death part never occurred to me until the Reaping part happened. I'd known people who were dead, and I'd seen dead bodies, but I'd never _been_ dead and I'd never gone through the process of dying. I knew something metaphysical happened, but it was the only mystery no one would ever solve. Only the dead knew.

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

"Forty-five minutes in, and both competitors seem rock solid," Titian narrated. He was mostly correct, but things were starting to get painful. My weight bore more and more heavily on my fingers, and sweat started to bead up under them, threatening to make the bar slippery. The water stirred monotonously under us, and the people on shore moved back a little as the tide came in.

 _I guess I had to die someday._ If I did end up going down, it wasn't the end of the world. It was just the end of me. It was better than getting so old I couldn't move, like my friend May's grandmother. She just sat in bed all day and they changed her sheets when she soiled them. It may have been a short run for me, but it had been a good one. I hoped my family wouldn't be too upset.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

"One hour and fifteen minutes in. Both duelists showing the strain, but they are not giving up."

It could be either of us. I was stronger, but Bailey was lighter, and she wasn't weak, either. She could slip, I could adjust my grip and fall. Any second, it could all be over.

There was a small chirping exclamation from Bailey's platform. I looked over to see one of her hands had slipped off the bar. She reached back up, but the other hand slipped before she made it. With both hands off, she plummeted into the water.

Before she made it all the way down, something else came up to meet her. The water roiled suddenly as a huge gray head burst through the surface. A monstrously huge shark mouth opened and took Bailey in like a sardine, white eyes flashing as it vanishing back into the water. There wasn't even any blood- it was so big it swallowed her hole. A lone thought filled my head.

 _Holy *# Holy ( &^! Was there one of those under me this whole time?_

* * *

 **10th place: Bailey Arrayo- Eaten by shark**

 **I've been waiting to use the endurance challenge for a long time. I might still do one for the immunity challenge, since traditionally there's one where Jeff bribes people with food. Anyway, Bailey took the fall when Rahina screwed up everyone's plans and won. With this many votes I didn't have much choice. Bailey skirted the line between the "nice" Survivors and the "scheming" ones. She didn't scheme out of malice, but she knew what needed to be done in order to win. It's another example of me having no idea who goes next at any time. She will be missed by many, but Hannah most of all, at least on the island. Thanks Aceswims for a morally complex character who was neither angel nor demon.**


	69. Who'llgivemesixsixwho'llgiveme

**Maybe this catches me up?**

* * *

District Five

This was the first time Sammy met something she couldn't dodge. Maybe she died hard, but we would rather she hadn't died at all. No one died harder than Cain. He was both a symbol of what we could accomplish if we dared and a reminder of what happened to those who dared.

* * *

Blake Armani, D1 Mentor

I may not have been as enthusiastic about the Games as I had been, but I still had District loyalty. This was _bullcrap!_ Ruby had it all, and Charming was a master schemer. The only thing that took them down was jealousy and a bogus voting mechanic that had no place in the Games. Thanks to their crackpot twist, people _died._ Well I hoped they enjoyed their show.

* * *

District One

We never thought anyone could be so strong, even in One. Ruby's mother checked out of rehab and never went back. She'd been doing it so she could give her girl the mother she deserved, and she kept at it to honor her memory. She started to mentor alcoholic and at-risk girls, most of whom didn't have mothers of their own. So two broken halves made something close to a whole. The Goodwins took their loss with the stiff upper lip expected in One. Charming's many, many fans were less stoic.

* * *

Pray jager, D2 mentor

Maybe Abrexa wasn't the steadiest during her last challenge because she'd just been deprived of oxygen for longer than some people would have survived. It was a testament to Two that she was even standing after that. Nothing bothered me more than a _waste._ Abrexa didn't do anything wrong. The Capitol just wasted the most capable of the bunch. As for Manny, the less said about him, the better.

* * *

District Two

Abrexa would have enjoyed analyzing her family's reaction to her death. Some sank into guilt. Others maligned her skills to make it her own fault. Some forgot all about her as soon as she wasn't famous anymore. All of them went on with their lives, some with big scars and some with small. Mia's aunt and uncle cared for her and stayed with her through her mourning process. She'd known street kids had a low life expectancy and prepared as much as she could. Like Manny, she was a tough kid, and she got through.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

Titian was nearly vibrating with excitement when we met him for the next challenge, which meant the rest of us were nearly wetting our pants as we sat in the chairs that had been set up. Rahina gave him back her immunity necklace and we all steeled ourselves for the storm.

"Today we're doing something a little different. One of the best loved traditions of Survivor is the auction. It's been a long few weeks for you, and I'm sure there are lots of things you've been missing about home. We've brought a few of those things here for you, and some of you will get to experience them."

"Here's how it works. Each of you has one thousand Tongan pa'anga under your chair. One at a time, I will bring up items to auction off. You will then bid, and the winner will get the item. You may sure items as long as you share money. Bid carefully, because you only have one thousand pa'anga. But don't bid _too_ conservatively, because you never know when the auction will end."

 _Oh. That's interesting._ It wasn't the horror show we'd all been expecting. I wondered what sort of things they were auctioning. _I hope it's food._

"Our first item..." Titian bent down behind the podium in front of him and placed a covered dish on the top. "A giant bowl of candy. Gummy candies, peppermints, chocolates, and licorice." Rapturous gasps spread throughout the Tributes. "Who will give me one hundred pa'anga?"

"One hundred pa'anga!" Camellia came roaring out of the gate. Everyone else hesitated. This was just the first item, and we didn't want to spend all our money right away. And if we sacrificed the candy to Camellia, she would have less money for the later items, which might be more valuable.

"One hundred pa'anga going once. Going twice. _Sold_ to Camellia for one hundred pa'anga. What a steal!" Camellia bolted to the podium, almost tipping her chair over, and grabbed the candy. Those near her sniffed the sugary air as she started to pick out her favorites and eat them. The rest of us got ready for the next bidding war.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

"Item number two," Titian said as he brought up another plate. "A cheeseburger with all the fixings. Lettuce, pickles, ketchup, mustard, onions. On the side, some golden, crispy fries. This must be worth two hundred pa'anga."

"Two hundred," Sherman said.

"Two fifty," Lancia broke in. Titian perked up at his first real bidding war.

"Three hundred," Sherman said. Lancia considered, ruffling through her money and running mental calculations.

"Three hundred going once. Going twice," Titian said, and paused to give Lancia a chance. When she stayed quiet, he continued. " _Sold!"_

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

Titian put another plate on the podium but didn't uncover it.

"This next item is a mystery item. It could be something great, or it could be something less than great. Will anyone risk one hundred pa'onga on it?"

"Two hundred," Rahina said. It was a smart move- two hundred and fifty was a lot to risk on a mystery item. Sure enough, she won it. From Titian's sour face, I guessed it was something good.

"You've won... a warm slice of pizza and a glass of cold soda," he said grumpily. "Enjoy."

I didn't have the heart to bid on anything. I couldn't imagine eating at a time like this. The only thing I could imagine was a shark with flashing teeth. The shark was eating.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

"Up next, a loaded baked potato. Let's start at one hundred pa'onga," Titian said, setting the potato out with a glass of milk. Everyone looked at me.

"Oh, no. We eat potatoes all the time at home. Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes. Every day potatoes. I ain't spending one pa'onga on a potato."

Cross won the potato for three hundred pa'onga.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

People were getting more competitive. Camellia got candy for a hundred pa'onga and Cross needed three hundred to get a baked potato. I needed to get in on the action before the items ran out.

"You're all going to want this one," Titian said. "Three pulled pork sliders with a side of onion rings and some soda to wash it down."

"Four hundred," Angora said.

"Five hundred," I raised.

"Five fifty," Angora said.

"Six hundred," I said. She looked at my face and saw I was prepared to go all in. She thought about driving the bidding up, but it didn't matter. With four hundred pa'onga left I wouldn't be in her way.

" _Sold!"_

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

"Don't be afraid to bid. Remember, the auction will end without warning," Titian said. "But it's not done yet. First I have to get rid of this steak and egg skillet, with potatoes, onions, peas, and red peppers."

"Three hundred pa'onga," Camellia said.

"Five hundred," I said.

"I'll give you six hundred," Camellia said. I looked at the giant, heaping skillet. I wouldn't even be able to eat all of it.

 _"_ _Psst. I have an idea,"_ I whispered to Deme. We came to an agreement.

"Eight hundred," Deme said. Camellia couldn't raise us, and we both had six hundred pa'onga left. Between the two of us, we might get the skillet finished.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

"How about something for your sweet tooth? A plate full of doughnuts," Titian said. "And you can't have donuts without milk." He poured milk into a frosted glass beaded with condensation.

"Five hundred," I said.

"Five fifty," Rahina said.

"Six hundred," I said. I heard whispering and looked back to see Lancia and Camellia conferring.

"Eleven hundred," Lancia said. That stopped the bidding. As soon as she collected the donuts, she gave them to Hannah, who startled but took them. Lancia and Camellia sat on either side of her, encouraging her to eat. Lancia saw Titian about to object and cut him off.

"You said we could share if we shared money," she said. Titian raised a finger, then set it down in defeat.

"You gotta learn to be more specific," Rahina commented.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"This next item is the most valuable of all," Titian said as he removed the cover. "The immunity necklace. I hope you've been budgeting carefully, because you cannot share money to bid on this item."

"One thousand pa'onga," I said. The only one who could have fought me was Hannah, but I beat her to the top denomination.

"Sold to Ash for one thousand pa'onga," Titian said. "This concludes the auction. I hope you enjoyed it." He raised his gavel.

WHAP!

* * *

 **I HAD to have the auction, of course. Those are the best parts. None can forget the saga of Big Tom and the Jew who didn't eat ham. Send in your votes and we'll see who's next! Ash got the highest score and I considered skipping him since he won once, but it wasn't last time so I let him through.**


	70. Pls No World War V

Camellia Spruce, D7

I never wanted to eat anything sweet again. But then again if someone gave me something sweet, I'd have eaten it like a pig. I was one big contradiction.

"We're getting down to the wire," Titian said. He made comments like that every week. Yep, every week we had one fewer person. Real groundbreaking. "Are thing getting tenser?"

"Yes," Lancia said.

"Things must be about ready to fall apart," Titian pressed.

"They sure are," Lancia said. Titian admitted defeat and called for the votes.

It wasn't hard to vote for once. We all had a plan and knew exactly what we were doing. The vote was going to be so overwhelming that no one person had to feel guilty about participating. I was about at my limit for guilt anyway. I couldn't feel much worse, and it had more or less retreated to a dull roar. I made my vote and sat down next to Hannah. She was doing better, but she hadn't talked for a whole day after Bailey died. It was important that I stay positive. If people thought even I was giving up hope, no one would ever smile.

None of us seemed scared when we gathered to read the votes. Even our target looked entirely unafraid, which was unnerving. I felt guilty looking at someone who was the only one who didn't know they were already dead.

"Once the votes are read, the decision is final," Titian said. "If anyone has an immunity idol they would like to use, now is the time."

"I'd like to use this." Rahina stood up and took a wooden medallion from her pocket. Everyone else in the circle looked at their neighbors with absolute horror.

 _Oh, crap._

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

When I found a weird little wooden doohickey in a hollow stump and read the paper that came with it, I knew I'd be using it right away. At any given tribal council, it would have been stupid of me to predict any result other than yet another duel for me. I'd been in just about half of them so far, and there would only be more as the less popular Tributes were weeded out. When I saw the look on everyone else's faces, I knew I was right. Titian's look was also amusing. He turned a faint shade of pink and grimaced at me like a wolf faking a smile.

"Any votes cast for Rahina will not count," he nearly growled. We all knew he read them ahead of time and arranged them in the most dramatic order. It was on of my favorite Games moments so far to be able to ruin it all for him. Ruining things was more or less my nature.

"Our first vote is for Rahina. It does not count. Rahina. Does not count. Rahina. Does not count." The others in the circle glanced around, wondering which of them I'd voted for. It seemed likely that only one vote would actually count. I didn't even know what would happen if there weren't two duelists. Most likely Titian would vent his anger with his handgun. "Rahina. Does not count. Rahina. Does not count. Rahina. Does not count. Rahina. Does not count. Three votes left."

"Our next vote is for Cross." Lancia gasped audibly and Cross jerked up in his seat. "Another vote for Cross. Two votes Cross, one vote left. The person joining Cross in the duel is Demetrius."

Chaos reigned in the voting circle as the conspirators fell over themselves in disarray and dismay for their fallen members. Next time I wouldn't have an idol. This was almost certainly my last gasp. But what a gasp it was.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

We had everything planned. _Six_ of us voted for Rahina. We shouldn't have had anything to worry about. The girl was unstoppable. Duel after duel she came back like a cockroach, and this time she messed everything up with an immunity idol. Sure, in the back of our heads we knew Rahina would vote for someone, but what were the odds it would be me? It must have been her, though. Her and someone else. Now me and Deme were stuck in a challenge we weren't at all ready for.

Titian showed us to our duel, which involved two huge round rocks and a field full of obstacles. "Behind me you see two rocks," he said. "They're not as heavy as they look, but they _will_ be very unwieldy. When the challenge begins, both of you will begin pushing your rock through the obstacles scattered across the field and toward the stone wall on the other side. The first duelist whose rock reaches the wall wins the duel. The loser is eliminated."

 _This can't be happening._ Any other duel I would have understood, but we had everything planned. This wasn't supposed to happen.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

I looked bigger than Cross, but neither of us really had much advantage. I was stronger, but he had a runner's muscles. I could push harder, but he could run faster. It could go either way. I could be back with my tribe in ten minutes, or I could be dead in ten minutes.

When the challenge began, Cross took an early lead. I caught up quickly, though, and we went back and forth. Cross pushed his rock in quick surges and then caught his breath, while I kept a slow, plodding pace. We reached a muddy divot filled with water and slogged through it painfully slowly. Cross reached the second obstacle, an incline, ahead of me, but I reached the top quicker. On the top of the incline, we pushed across a flat stretch dotted with craters we had to either avoid or push back out of.

It was no time to get angry, but I couldn't help it. I was mad at Titian for putting us here and mad I had to fight someone as nice as Cross. Most of all I was mad at Rahina for ruining everything. I felt my face get hot and I took my anger out on the stone, shoving it with rage in addition to fear. Even with all my frenzied emotion, Cross and I were still neck and neck. He must have been awfully mad, too.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

Self-defense was allowed. It wasn't a sin to try to stay alive, even if it meant Deme might die. It was a gray area, to be sure, but Uncle Morty said as much in his letter. I could worry about the metaphysics later. God understood, and worse case scenario, God forgave.

Lancia was screaming out encouragement from her seat back by the fire. Most of the others were yelling too, but I didn't hear any particular names. Only Rahina was quiet. She knew if it was her in the duel, not a single voice would be raised in her support. I could see why she wouldn't be hesitant to do what she did.

After the crater field, we reached a series of three short wooden railings maybe an inch high that we had to push the rocks over. We had to use a rocking motion to get enough momentum, and I was terrified my rock would roll the wrong way and end up in the bottom of a crater. Instead I got it over the railings, but so did Deme. He was still going strong, and while I wasn't faltering either, he looked like he could push his rock all the way across the island.

Even though I was scared, I was the only one on the island who really didn't have to be afraid. I wasn't afraid of death so much as I was afraid of the dying part. If it didn't work out for me, I'd end up in Heaven. Being afraid of the whole thing was just a human weakness on my part. I would run the race until the end, but if I came up short, I still got the prize.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

I'd never thought about being dead before. Not before I got Reaped, anyway. Getting Reaped always seemed like the ultimate horror, and I didn't think about the reason it was so scary until it actually happened to me. Nine would go on, of course. Every year we did. A few years ago we brought home Nassor, but we still lost Jeanie. Last year's male Tribute, Dusty, was an acquaintance of mine. Yet after he was gone, I went on living.

Cross looked like he could go on forever, but I was getting tired. Anger didn't last forever, and I only had so much energy. We were on the home stretch now- just one last flat piece of land between us and the pair of stone walls. Every breath I took scorched my raw throat and the stitch in my side seemed to reach all the way down to my ribs. We were moving at a snail's pace, pushing our rocks in quick bursts when we'd gathered enough energy for a single shove.

Cross' lips were moving as we approached the wall. He had to be praying. I wondered whose side the big guy was on, if it worked that way. We were within ten feet of the wall now, and I made one last desperate charge. Cross did the same, and both our rocks rolled toward the walls. Years of manual labor combined with animalistic fury gave me strength, and my rock tapped the wall a few seconds ahead of Cross'. Titian called out my victory and we both collapsed to the dirt, panting and heaving.

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

When I saw Deme's rock hit the wall, I knew I didn't have to push anymore. I might be about to die, but at least I could rest. I slumped to the ground and ran through my life in my head, in case I had any sins I still needed to go over. It didn't really work like that, but a moment's superstition was surely forgivable.

 _It's nice Deme will live,_ I thought. I was about to think about how scared I was to die when the stone wall beside me toppled over like the walls of Jericho. I was lying flat and didn't have time to get out of the way, not that it would have saved me. It wasn't the end of the world anyway. Now that I knew there was no way out of it, it wasn't so bad to move on. Earth was fallen and there were a lot of bad things- pain, and sin, and sadness and death. I was leaving all of those behind for something better and something eternal.

* * *

 **First things first: Scout's honor, I didn't plan this one either. Tinks found the idol and has been sitting on it all this time waiting to use it on Rahina. He (I happen to know Tinks is a dude) messaged me after the last challenge (the one Rahina won) saying he'd use it on her if she didn't win this one. In something I couldn't have made up if I tried, that turned out the be the exact week Rahina got picked to go. I waited this long to write the chapter because there were so many votes for Rahina I actually didn't have enough to have two people duel and had to wait to get every single vote in. The two votes for Cross were genuine. I didn't have anyone to duel him, but Silver thought this might happen and said I could use her vote in this case, since her vote wouldn't make any difference- Deme was a randomly picked stand-in and was never in danger. This vote won't count against his total in case of a tie and he won't be mentally or physically affected by this experience.**

 **9th place: Cross Spauldings- squished by stone wall**

 **Well this sucks. Obviously if Rahina hadn't used the hidden immunity idol she would have died. Once she scrambled everything, I knew the person who died would die because of a tiny amount of votes. I spent all day yesterday worried about having to kill Cross because of one vote and was greatly relieved when at least he got two. That still sucks, but if it had been one vote I probably would have had to come up with some alternate action. Anyway, Cross was a standup guy. He had flaws, and I appreciate that in a religious Tribute. He wasn't a goody two-shoes or a stereotypical zealous bigot. He was in between the extremes, just like almost everyone in real life. He was about the easiest for me to write, since I'm also a devoted Christian, but that perversely made it easier on my conscience to kill him since his soul is all taken care of (but then I think all kids go to Heaven, so whatever). Thanks Tracey for Cross, and it stinks it happened this way. He was a good-hearted boy trying to find the light in a very confusing and dark world. He made it, though.**


	71. Survivor Family Feud

Rahina Herrington, D11

Everyone was staring daggers at me when we got back to camp. Like _I_ was the one in the wrong here. Screw me for trying to stay alive. I wasn't the one who made a coalition specifically started to get someone dead.

"I hope you're happy," Lancia said as she arranged the bedding in our shelter. I slept outside in our hammock, both by my preference and anyone else. I would have been colder in the shelter for me anyway.

"I'm alive, so yes, I am happy," I said.

"But Cross isn't, thanks to you," she said.

"No, that would be thanks to the immunity idol I found. And the other person who voted for him. You must have expected I'd vote that way. You'd better get on the case of the other rogue," I said.

"It must really suck going through duels all the time," Hannah said softly.

"I sleep better than you'd expect. I don't know which nightmare to have first," I said.

"We didn't do it because you did anything wrong," Hannah said.

"You just did it because you don't like me," I said. "Most people don't. There are worse things in life." Even after all that had happened, I didn't want Hannah to feel bad. She'd never been mean to me. She even said my marble was pretty. Whoever was behind the vast "kill Rahina" plot, she was just following along.

"Tomorrow's another day," Lancia said, referring to the next vote.

"That's not a very nice thing to say," Camellia said. Lancia sagged.

"No, it isn't. I'm not really mad at Rahina. I'm just sad my friend died," she said.

"Someone should say some words or something," Deme said.

"Does anyone know any prayers?" Angora said. Of course no one did. That kind of stuff got you shot in Panem.

"Let's read from the book," Lancia said, and she took Cross' Bible from his bag. I'd been laying low, but I had to speak up.

"Maybe we shouldn't read out loud," I said.

"Yeah, we better not," Lancia agreed. We all clustered around her, with me at the fringes. She opened the book to the middle, where there were a bunch of poems. We didn't read out loud, but we read them on the inside. That was the part Cross cared about anyway.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

"Good morning, Tributes. Are you ready for your new challenge?" Titian asked the next day. All he had behind him was a pile of whiteboards.

"No, give us five minutes," Camellia said.

"Sorry, we have to start now," Titian said.

"Then why'd you ask?" Camellia asked.

" _Anyway._ Today's challenge will test your social skills and your deduction. Before the challenge starts, we'll ask you a series of questions about your tribemates. Then we'll start the challenge proper. During the challenge proper, I'll repeat the questions. On your whiteboard, you'll write down the name you think the majority of your tribemates wrote down. The first to get five questions right wins immunity and reward."

"Today, we have a bit of an unconventional prize." Titian whipped a tablecloth off a square box, revealing a pair of chickens. "The winner of this prize will receive two chickens- a hen and a rooster. The winner may choose whether to keep them for eggs or eat them, and how to divide up the meat or eggs obtained. Worth playing for?"

"That's funny enough already," Camellia said.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

"Our first question is: who do you trust with your life?" Titian asked. I went over it a few times in my head before answering. I knew who I'd answered earlier, but there were variables. I wasn't sure if it meant based on capability or intent, and that made a difference. I wrote down a name and turned my whiteboard over at Titian's signal.

"Sherman, Camellia, Deme, and Rahina have written 'Hannah'." Angora wrote 'Deme'. Lancia wrote 'Ash', and Ash wrote 'Lancia'. Budding romance aside, the majority answer was Hannah. One point for Sherman, Camellia, Deme and Rahina. Zero points for everyone else."

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

 _Heck yeah, I have a point!_

"Next question: who is the most honest?"

 _Ooh, I got this one._ I wrote the name and flipped the board.

"Camellia has written 'Deme'. _Everyone_ else has written 'Camellia'. The majority answer was... Camellia. Sherman, Rahina and Deme are at two points. Everyone else is at one."

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

"Who would you not invite to a family dinner?"

 _Lovely._

"Every Tribute has written the same answer: Rahina. Majority answer is... Rahina. Lancia, Camellia, Angora, Ash and Hannah are at two points. Deme, Sherman and Rahina are at three."

Thank _you very much._

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"Who do you have a crush on?"

 _What the heck kind of question is that? I don't know everyone else's types._ I wrote down an honest answer and hoped for the best.

"I don't really have a crush on him," Rahina said as she revealed her answer.

"We got a big spread here. Lancia, Rahina and Sherman have written 'Ash'-"

"I thought it was most popular, okay?" Sherman interrupted.

"-Camellia wrote 'Deme', Deme and Ash wrote 'Lancia', Angora wrote 'Hannah', and Hannah wrote 'Angora'. Truly a tangled web on this island. The majority answer was Ash. Sherman and Rahina are at four points. One point more will win it for them. Lancia and Deme are at three. Everyone else remains at two."

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

"Who mistakenly thinks they're smart?"

I had no idea about that one. No one else seemed to, either. We all took a minute to get our answers down.

"Interesting. Every single Tribute has picked a different answer. Lancia went with Camellia. Camellia wrote 'NOT ME. ANGORA?" Deme thinks Ash is too big for his britches, Angora thinks it's Hannah who's dumber than she thinks, Ash has a bone to pick with Sherman, Sherman has no love for Rahina, Rahina lets loose on Deme, and Hannah lays the smackdown on Lancia. If Sherman or Rahina get this right, they win. If they both answer correctly, we go to a tiebreaker. The majority answer was Lancia."

"What?!" Lancia said.

"I'm sorry, I had to pick someone!" Hannah said.

"Camellia, Angora and Ash remain at two points. Hannah, Lancia and Deme are at three. Sherman and Rahina remain one away from victory.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

"Who does the most around the camp?"

There were a few possibilities. If I got it right, I'd keep Rahina from winning again. If I got it wrong, she could screw us up all over again. I looked around at the others, trying to gauge the answer in their eyes. They tried just as hard to send it to me mentally.

"We have a pretty even split this time," Titian said, reading our boards. Deme, Ash, Sherman and Hannah have picked Angora. Lancia, Camellia, Rahina and Angora went with Deme. The majority answer is-" he looked at his card.

" _Deme."_

* * *

 **SOOOOO...**

 **I couldn't make this up if I tried. This challenge tested charisma and word puzzle skills (maybe it's not really a word puzzle but I wanted to rotate categories.) Most people had scores of around 13 random numbers to generate. Rahina had 5- 1 charisma, 4 word puzzles. Guess who scored 986/1000 on her third random number? The whole time I was like 'LOL at least I don't have to worry about it being Rahina." NOPE! When it happened, I started looking at what I should do and whether there was precedent to change it somehow. With all that's happening, I've been sticking fanatically to any rules I've established, and when I looked back, I DID have a precedent for something like this. I let Ash win immunity twice since it wasn't in a row. Therefore I had to do the same for Rahina if I was going to be consistent. So here we are. I'm sure our good friend and Rahina fan Error will have a lot to say about this.**

 **That said, I am bearing in mind the review suggestions on Rahina and will be taking care to make sure she doesn't become a Mary Sue. I think we all know she's gone the second she doesn't win immunity, so her next duel will pretty much certainly be her final one. She got off this week (unless she randomly gives her necklace away, since she's so nice and sunny), but it's just a stay of execution. I'll also be looking over the votes to make sure a Cross situation doesn't happen again.**

 **Lastly, the idol is rehidden! I put it somewhere harder this time for a challenge.**

 **Once it was found by Italy's coast. Now it's a place for a few dozen ghosts.**


	72. Wax Prion, Wax Prioff

Hannah Dandelion, D9

It was the easiest tribal council in a long time. I didn't have to be scared, because all my friends were already dead. The only one I was still worried about was Camellia, but it was hard to think she would ever die. She was just too full of life. I knew for a fact that we weren't targeting her this time, so I could be blissfully numb about the proceedings. Someone was going to die, but it was getting to where I didn't care anymore.

"Welcome, Heifona. Any comments on the last challenge?" Titian asked.

"I wish someone else had won," Angora said. Rahina flipped her off, then answered after a moment.

"You all do, don't you?" she asked. No one said otherwise.

"Remember, votes cast for Rahina will not count," Titian said, his tone giving his answer to her question. "Any more questions?"

"How many of us will be left at the ending vote?" Deme asked.

"Three. We wanted to give the voters some choice," Titian said. "All right, let's have a vote."

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"Once the votes are counted, the decision is final," Titian said. "Our first vote is for Sherman." I couldn't look Sherman in the eye when he looked up. He'd suspected he was the next target and had tried to convince us otherwise. It had been a horrible night listening to a man plead for his life when you were the one pulling the trigger. "The second vote is for Sherman. Third vote is Deme." Sherman startled, then smiled when he read the handwriting. "Fourth vote is Deme. Two votes Sherman, two votes Deme, four votes left. Fifth vote is for Sherman. Sherman. The seventh vote is for Sherman. The last vote doesn't matter. Sherman and Deme will participate in an elimination duel."

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

Titian led us to two tables covered in pencil-sized sticks with zigzags in the middle and flattened round rubber balls on both ends, so they looked like tiny Z's. Beside them were some straight ones. Behind the tables, across the field from us, was a giant screen. When Titian stepped next to the screen, it turned on, showing an image. It was some bizarre pattern of crisscrossing lines with dots on either end, just like the sticks on the table. I could tell right away what the challenge would be, and I started to commit the pattern to memory as Titian outlined it.

"Today's challenge is _not_ about memorization. We'll leave the image up for you. What it _will_ test is balance. The rods you have in front of you have different weights. Some are heavier than they look, and some are much lighter." He took a rod and stood it on its flattened end. "As you can see, they will stand if balanced correctly. Your job is to stack them on top of each other in a replication of the pattern on the screen. The first Tribute to do so successfully wins the challenge. The loser is eliminated."

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

I wanted to cry. This wasn't me. I wasn't tough like Rahina. I couldn't go through challenges one after another and know it was just my performance that determined whether I died or someone else did. It hurt me down to my soul, and a bit of me died every time I started a duel.

I looked down at the rods in front of me. If I thought just of them, I could pretend the other stuff wasn't happening. I stood two up experimentally. The lighter one toppled almost immediately, while the heavy one stayed up. Before I started to recreate the pattern, I picked up each rod in turn and sorted them by weight. I'd use the heavier ones on the bottom.

Once I got them sorted, I started to build. The pattern was tall, but it wasn't that complex. It was four layers tall and three layers thick, so I'd need twelve sticks for the skeleton. Between each column there were interlocking struts, which would help support it. In all, I needed twenty-two pieces. I set up my base layer of three sticks and started working.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

The structure was as fragile as a paper-thin sheet of ice. On my second layer up, a single false move toppled everything. Deme was doing better out of the gate, but it could change in a minute. Sure enough, he knocked over half his columns when one of his sticks tipped. He smacked his fist into the side of his leg in frustration and started again.

Each layer was harder than the one underneath it. The first layer of sticks was balanced on the table, but the ones above it had to be balanced on the tiny flattened ends of the sticks below. The differently-weighted sticks added another dimension of difficulty. Light ones were easier to place, but heavier ones added stability to the layers underneath. I was three layers up, but so was Deme. It was going to be down to the wire. Or it would have, if a single breath hadn't toppled the entire thing.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

My heart stopped when Sherman's structure fell. He put both hands to his head in despair, and I wanted to cry with him. There were two endings to this, and I didn't want to see either one. I turned my attention back to my final layer just so it could be done with. I placed the lightest sticks atop the third layer, as slowly as I needed. There was no need to rush anymore. Rushing would just make the whole thing take longer.

I held my breath as I placed the final stick. It was bizarre that I would be winning such a delicate challenge. I was more at home slinging hay bales than balancing tiny, intricate structures. And yet, the last stick held. I held up a hand to signal Titian, who came over and looked at my structure and then the picture on the screen. Sherman, who was starting his second layer again, froze.

"It's close enough. Deme wins the challenge."

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

"It's close enough. Deme wins the challenge."

As soon as Titian said it, pain blossomed in all my limbs. I lost control of my fingers, and my hands started to shake. My legs folded under me and started to spasm uncontrollably. More pain burst inside my head, and the shakes worsened until it was like I was being electrocuted. Someone, probably Camellia, screamed. Deme ran to my side and tried to hold me steady. His tears dropped onto my face as he held me.

I wasn't going to get home. Or I _was_ going home, but in a box. I was happy for whoever won, even if it wasn't me. I hoped Deme didn't feel guilty. Only Titian should feel guilty. It was strange how few of my last thoughts were for myself. Most of all, I just felt relief that I didn't have to wonder when I was going to die anymore. Let it get done with. Then the pain would stop.

* * *

 **8th place: Sherman Betula- Kuru**

 **One of those votes was actually for Deme. I didn't get a vote from Angora, so I gave hers to Deme to make a pair for the duel. Sherman got by under the radar for a long time, which is the best place to be. He did a lot around camp, didn't get into any fights, and was generally a good dude. He took Rahina's fall when she weaselled out again, and we'll miss him. Thanks Empress' Hand for Sherman, who didn't have any weird bells and whistles to make him "unique". He was just a normal guy, which made him real.**

 **This challenge wasn't from the Survivor list I usually use. The structure the boys were imitating was the misfolded protein that results in the prion disease Kuru. Kuru is contracted by eating brains and it takes longer than five minutes to kill (actually it incubates like ten years), but we didn't have that long. The sticks they were using were the kind you use in those balancing games they sell at educational toy shops, like that chair stacking game. I made this one up all by myself and not gonna brag, but I think it's the coolest thing ever and I'm wicked smart. But jokes aside, it was really fun to incorporate my nursing classes into this challenge and I think it was pretty cool. My mom helped me find the protein, since she's a real nurse (doctor of nursing, actually. PhD, Master's, DnP... she says she wants more letters after her name than in them)**

 **Note: y'all can be SURE Rahina won't win the next challenge, since I don't let people win back-to-back**

 **Someone already found the idol, dang it. It was in the wreck of the Andrea Doria. Who even knew about that before this challenge? Y'all are BEASTS! I knew about it since I love to read about deep-sea diving and the Andrea Doria is the deepest large ship possible to dive to. It's a big accomplishment and a lot of people have died in it. The next clue would have mentioned how there were more ghosts there than there should be.**


	73. Sploosh

Lancia Audren, D6

It wasn't nice of me to give Rahina trouble. Really it was just selfish. We were all doing the same thing- grabbing at any straw to keep ourselves alive, at anyone else's expense. She was just doing it better than most of us. I couldn't bring myself to outright apologize, since she was so odious, but I stopped giving her grief. She didn't seem to get any more pleasure out of it than anyone else. She knew everyone hated her, and I could hardly make her more miserable if I tried.

Cross said all kids went to heaven. I was inclined to agree, if there was a heaven. Even if he was wrong, surely he would have gone. He was so careful about being good I didn't think anyone could find anything bad to pin on him. The thing he was most worried about wasn't even a problem. God wouldn't send him to hell for being what he was.

Titian didn't have to tell us what the next challenge was. He stood in front of half a dozen giant barrels of water suspended on hinges over half a dozen pedestals, each barrel attached to a rope that dangled underneath. All the same, he went ahead and explained everything.

"Today's challenge is all about endurance. Each of you will place your wrist into the loop on the end of one of the ropes underneath a water barrel. The ropes are tight, and the slightest movement will bring the precariously balanced barrels down onto your heads. The last one dry wins immunity and reward."

"Today's reward is a night of comfort. The winner will choose one guest to join him or her on a trip to a five-star hotel we've set up on the other side of the island. You'll enjoy room service, real beds, and more likely more bells and whistles than you can think up."

"Did you get someone all the way out here to certify it as five stars, or are you just making that up?" Camellia asked.

"I- know what, I hope you don't find out," Titian said.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

The first five minutes, nothing happened. Most of us, myself included, crossed our free arms above our head to form a stable triangle for the extended hand. Then a piece of grit pressed into my foot and I shifted my weight off it. The string pulled just a tiny bit and the bucket tipped over onto me, drenching me in bright orange water.

"Hannah is the first to go out!"

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

This was _not_ my strong suit. Very little _was_ my strong suit, actually. I sort of bumbled my way this far in. It was barely half an hour in, and I was struggling. Then Titian came back from the side of the field with a bowl.

"I thought I would make it a little more interesting and provide some temptation. I have here a bowl heaping with fresh, crispy potato chips. If anyone is feeling comfortable and doesn't think they have to worry about getting eliminated tonight, they can pull their lever and sit on this nice bench eating chips," he said.

"Okay," I said. I pulled my cord and stepped to the side to avoid the neon blue water. Titian was shocked.

"That was quick," he said, and prepared to gloat that I wasn't going to the hotel.

"I was gonna lose anyway. Now I get chips."

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

An hour into the challenge, I was getting tired. My arm ached and burned as it stiffened above my head. I didn't look forward to the end of the challenge, even if I won. I could imagine the pain I'd go through when my arm dropped, like when I slept with my shoulder scrunched up and had to drop it back down in the morning.

A barrel tipped, and I almost jumped reflexively. It was Ash who dropped out, drenching himself with purple water. Lancia wasn't as lucky as I was- she moved at the sudden noise and yellow water cascaded onto her. It was sort of appropriate though. She and Ash always ended up together.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

 _Ow, ow, ow ow..._

 _Not cool, man. This is gotta be illegal or something. Aren't there rules about torture? Let's see Titian get his pansy-ass butt up here and do this. When he ends up in Hell, I hope he loops through these sick challenges he made for us. One after another, and when he gets to the end, they start again._

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

Titian came out again, trying to bribe us with a slice of pizza. It was a no-brainer for Rahina. She wasn't suicidal. Angora wasn't confident enough, and neither was I. Even in the best case scenario, someone still had to fight Rahina. Titian gave the pizza to the losers instead, which at least made me happy.

Two hours in, something totally unexpected happened. Rahina's bucket tipped, and she went out in a hail of black water. None of us saw it coming, but when I thought about it, Rahina wasn't an athlete or anything. She'd just been doing well lately. Trust Titian to give her the black water, though.

Angora and I kept an eye on each other as the minutes dragged on. Titian called out every fifteen minutes, then dropped off to every half hour after we reached four hours. He came and went with a bowl of candy and an ice-cream sundae, both of which went to the losers.

"Hey, I think the losers get the better end this time," I commented. Camellia flashed me a peace sign.

Five hours in, Angora was hurting. She looked at me searchingly, trying to gauge my strength.

"I got plenty left," I said, and I did. It would hurt, but I could last another hour if I had to.

"Yeah?" Angora asked. She shifted her expression to one of resignation. She kept her trembling arm up until Titian came back.

"Here comes trouble! I know victory is sweet, but is this sweeter? Who wants this extra-large blue raspberry slushie?"

"Me," Angora conceded. She pulled her rope.

"Angora drops out! Deme wins immunity and reward!" Titian announced. "So, who's coming with you to our _five-star_ hotel?"

"Uhh..." I hadn't even thought about that. I scanned the Tributes and picked someone who seemed like a cool guy. "I'mma take my man Ash."

" _Heck_ yeah!"

* * *

 **Wanna hear something really funny? No joke, Rahina actually got the highest score. Since she won last time she wasn't eligible, but it's still kind of funny. As for Deme, I had him take Ash just sort of because Ash hadn't gone on anything yet. Deme pretty much likes everyone so it was a wash.**

 **Get yo' votes in posthaste! Wow, I WONDER who it will be! However, the immunity idol IS floating around... *drama intensifies***

 **Note I forgot to note last time: The unread vote was for Sherman.**


	74. Granted Wishes

Ash Summers, D3

It really _was_ a five-star hotel. Maybe Titian hadn't gotten anyone to rate it way out here, but Deme and I certified it as definitely five stars. There was a huge shower with spouts all in a line so you could lie on a bench and it was like hot rain. I, of course, did a running cannonball onto the bed, and when I did, I sank a foot in and made this little _piffffff_ noise. Deme and I spent the night ordering room service, talking crap about Titian, and conjecturing about the rest of the competition.

"You think Rahina will get cut tomorrow?" I asked.

"You think Titian will be a butthead tomorrow?" Deme asked.

"Yeah, dumb question," I admitted.

Camellia Spruce, D7

I had a horrible idea about who the votes were for as we sat around the fire and lit our torches. We all knew it would be Rahina, of course, but someone else had to go in, too. I thought I knew who it was, and I hoped I was wrong. Rahina had to know the deal, too. Her lone vote was worth a lot more with so many being used up on her. She probably got to pick her opponent, which hadn't ended well so far.

"Am I correct in assuming that tonight's not so much about who's getting voted out as who's the unlucky soul who has to fight her?" Titian asked.

"Pretty much," I said.

"Maybe you were smart enough to split the votes to make a challenge?" he asked.

"I don't think anyone's brave enough to want that role," Ash said.

"Then it's not a stretch to say the target might pick someone weak to vote for," Titian said. He avoided saying Rahina's name even though we all knew. My guess was he was afraid of jinxing it and letting her get off free.

"I know who it's gonna be." Rahina spoke up suddenly. "Let's get on with it."

"Once the votes are read, the decision is final," Titian said when they were in. "If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and would like it use it, now would be the time." Rahina stood up, and when Titian saw it, his face could have froze the sun.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

"I'd like to use this," Rahina said. Once again, she was carrying an immunity idol. _She's like a truffle-sniffing pig,_ I thought. _She'll never die. She's immortal._

Titian's fingers closed stiffly over the idol, and Rahina was so far past caring she didn't even make a smug face. "Any votes cast for Rahina-" he started to growl.

"Not me," Rahina said. "I want to use it on Hannah."

" _What?"_ I asked as Titian's head jerked sideways stiffly at Rahina. Rahina ignored him and sat back down. Ash and Deme openly gawked at her, Camellia's mouth fell open, and Lancia smiled briefly before stifling it.

"What are you doing?" I asked her. She folded her hands in her lap.

"I know the other one's you," she said.

"So?" I asked.

"So I'd beat you," she said. "And I don't want to."

My thoughts were a jumbled mess. I'd been voted out, or at least Rahina thought so. Rahina had an easy win ahead of her, and she didn't even need one. She had the idol. What possible reason did she have to use it on me and risk her life?

"This is crazy," I said. Which was nothing new from Rahina, but never _this_ kind of crazy.

"You wanna die?" she asked.

"No," I said.

"Everyone else wants me to," she said.

"But why? Why would you do that for me?" I asked.

"You weren't like everyone else. You were always nice to me. Go big or go home, right? Time for me to come clean. I always sort of liked you," she said.

"You don't have to do this," I said. Tears were starting to prick at my eyes just from the unexpected poignancy of it all. Rahina was the meanest cuss any of us had ever met. From someone else, I might almost have expected this. From her, it was supernatural.

"Has anyone ever made me do something I don't want to do?"

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

Titian waited until the last possible minute to read the votes, dragging things out as long as possible. When one of the cameramen made a "hurry up" gesture at him, he dipped into the urn.

"This has turned into quite an emotional night," he said. "And I'm sure it's only beginning."

"Our first vote is for Rahina," he said with obvious relish. He smirked as he picked the next one out. "Rahina. Rahina. Our fourth vote is for Hannah. It does not count." Hannah looked around the circle in pain and betrayal, then back at Rahina. "Hannah. Does not count. Three votes Rahina, two votes invalid, two votes left. The sixth vote is for Rahina. Whoever is on this last vote will join Rahina for _another_ duel." He picked out the last vote.

"Angora."

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

So I did something nice. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. No use fussing over it. It was time to duel again. Titian showed us to two giant stupid puzzle things on a table.

"Today's challenge will test your mental capabilities. In front of you are two slide puzzles. Generally such things are a child's toy, but it will be much more difficult after weeks of sleep deprivation and poor diet. And the threat of death. Both players will slide the moving tiles around through the gap provided by the single missing tile. When the puzzle is complete the missing tile will be in the lower right corner, and the other tiles will show a picture. First person to complete the puzzle wins the duel. The loser is eliminated."

I never liked brainteasers. My brain didn't like to be teased. I slid the pieces around randomly at first, marking time while I figured out what the picture was. I could tell from the tiles that it was a lightning strike on a blue background, but all the little forks and branches took a minute to map. It was annoying as all-get-out to slide them around, too. I knew I wanted one tile to be on the other side of the box, but I had to slide it around one piece at a time, scrambling all the others as I went. I was about ready to pick the stupid box up and smash it. Then I could put the stupid puzzle together.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

Nothing would surprise us after that. An immunity idol. An idol played on someone who didn't find it. Mean old nasty Rahina being the one behind it all. It was hard to stay focused on the puzzle when everything was upside down.

The rhythm of the puzzle wasn't hard once I figured it out. There was a pattern to moving the pieces with the one hole left by the missing tile. After that, it was just a matter of matching all the tiny fractal lines. There _were_ a lot of them, though. Some looked like they matched up only to show a tiny discrepancy when I leaned right up to the table to look. Rahina wasn't a slouch, either. She'd won more duels than anyone else, by a long shot. I couldn't afford any mistakes.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

The nice thing about the puzzle was that each piece I got right made it easier to find more, since I had fewer to work with. I had the top row blocked out already, and there were only twelve pieces.

It was going to be awkward as heck if I got through this. Everyone at camp would hate me even more for another failed murder attempt, and Hannah wouldn't know how to act. Everyone would tease me for being a softy, and some of them would convince themselves I was a "jerk with a heart of gold" and I'd turn nice if they used the "power of friendship."

It was a good run, tormenting Titian and pressing on even though I spent more time dueling than eating. This time, someone was actually cheering for me. It was a little embarrassing to hear Hannah, but it was also a little inspiring. All the same, I had the feeling my streak was about to run out. If someone fires enough arrows at you, one will stick eventually. I wasn't giving up, but no one was bulletproof.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

I was halfway done, and the matches were coming faster and faster. I was too scared to check how far along Rahina was. She won a puzzle duel before once, even if it did take a while. That was something to be hopeful about- that duel took a long time. At the rate I was going, I'd be done in faster than half an hour. I just had to hope she hadn't learned from last time.

I was lucky in one thing. I didn't have to go back to camp wondering which of my teammates wanted me dead. I only got one vote, and it was obviously Rahina's. I voted for her, so at least we were even.

Three tiles left. It was unsettling to move the correct tiles out of order for a minute to make room to move the wrong ones, even though I moved them right back into place. The lightning spiraled across the puzzle, with only three broken ends. The storm was about to break.

* * *

Rahina Herrington, D11

"I got it!"

I kept sliding pieces as Titian checked Angora's work. I was pretty sure she had it, but it ain't over until it's over. Hannah cried out my name in concern, and the others cheered for Angora only out of a sense of obligation. The crowd had been quieter than normal tonight.

"Angora has the correct picture! She wins the duel!" Titian cried. I still had one last joke on him, though. I'd seen how a shadow fell across the puzzles as we worked. Titian had some sort of obsession with ironically matched-up deaths, and I knew what was coming next. Lightning was about the fastest way on Earth to die. Titian was going to be pissed I wasn't the one who died of tracker jackers or getting mauled by an octopus.

I didn't want to make it all mushy, so I didn't look at Hannah when the sky flashed white. She better do good, though. I gave her my dang immunity idol, for Pete's sake. Not that it was such a big deal to die. I wouldn't have to deal with a bunch of self-righteous goody two-shoes anymore. I only kept living as long as I did out of spite.

* * *

 **Thus ends the controversial saga of Rahina the Unkillable. She had more supporters than the anons thought, though. At least three people were pulling for her, and I liked her. I'm sure the comments will be full this chapter.**

 **7th place: Rahina Herrington, D11- Struck by lightning**

 **Rahina was divisive. Her teammates were pretty unified in hating her, though Hannah was friendly and Camellia was just sort of scared of her and gave her space. She didn't like them either, and she especially didn't care for how much they hated her for staying alive when they were doing the same thing. Rahina had a terrible life, which was how she got that terrible attitude. She made mistakes and she had plenty of flaws, but personally I think she didn't get a fair shake. I'd be pretty grumpy too if I lived on the streets and my family called me the devil's child. So thanks Hollowman for the Tribute that didn't fit it and unabashedly went her own way. I, for one, will miss her.**

 **This chapter was a long time in the making. First- and again, I literally could not make this up- the person who found the immunity idol wanted to use it on Rahina (so now I KNOW she had a few supporters). Rules are rules, so I would have done it (I was planning to ask her to write a review stating it was her idea), but I got a different idea. So I wrote to Rahina's submitter talking about how we both knew she would never win, but she might be able to make an epic plot twist of an exit by giving her idol to Hannah. She agreed, so then I had to hope people voted for Hannah. The planets aligned when they actually did. I didn't get a chance to ask the idol's owner about this, so she's still credited as having the idol and can use it on someone else.**

 **Only three left until the final three! Guess I forgot the final eight interviews again...**


	75. Peace I'm Out

**I just put this note here to tell everyone I shan't be writing for the next week since I'll be vacationing with the other half of LadyCordeliaStuart in Jamaica. Hopefully I shall get some inspiration from a location pretty similar to Tonga.**

Titian Qin, Head Gamemaker

 _I look smoking in this purple suit. I also look smoking in this black suit. I would look smoking with_ no _suit, but censorship stands strong. Showing a kid getting burned alive? No problem. Showing_ this _smoking bod?_ That's _illegal._


	76. Funny Games

**Hey, I'm back from Jamaica! I swam on some beaches, met some dolphins, ate a ton of fish, and found out I'm a huge alcohol lightweight. Good times, good times.**

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

It was kind of the end of an era to see Rahina go. The odds (and the rest of us) were so against her that part of me hoped she'd defy us all and win. Not enough to stop voting for her, but just a little. In any case, it would be a lot quieter without her around. She didn't always talk that much, but she always seemed to stir discussion.

It was quieter right off the bat, anyway. None of us were ghoulish enough to say we were glad to see her go, though some of us were. Hannah and Camellia actually looked a little sad. It wasn't surprising, what with all the drama before she went. That was pretty badass. If you gotta go out, go out with a bang. Or a lightning strike.

"I feel like we should say something," Deme said after an hour of silence in camp.

"Ding dong?" Angora quipped, and then immediately seemed to regret it.

"Even if nobody liked her, no one deserves this. We know who the real enemy is," Lancia said.

"Yeah, it's pretty messed up to be more mad at another kid than the people who put us here," Angora said.

"She went out on her own terms. It was what she would have wanted," Deme said.

"Obviously, since she did it," Hannah said with a rueful smile.

"Who are we gonna hate now?" Camellia asked. It was just a joke, but we all went cold. She was right. With Rahina gone, there was no one we all hated- no one to collect all the votes. We'd have to turn against each other. With the exception of a friendly alliance between Hannah, Camellia and Lancia, there was no way to tell who would turn on who. Even in their case, friendship only went so far. It was a weekly cliché, but it was even more true now. It was hard to trust anyone when everyone on the island had, at some point, written your name down to die.

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

"Today's challenge is a unique combination of teamwork and athleticism," Titian said the next day, standing in front of a giant set of playground equipment that sprawled across the field. "Here's how it works. Team A will stack up this pile of rocks in the clearing in the middle of the playground equipment. Once the rocks are stacked, Team B will throw a ball at them to knock them over. At that point, two members of team A will chase the members of team B while one member remains to rebuild the stack. The members of Team B will attempt to avoid being caught while throwing more balls to slow the construction of the stack. Once the stack falls initially, gameplay lasts sixty seconds. If Team A rebuilds the stack or catches all three members of Team B, by tagging them, they win. If neither of these conditions are met in time, Team B wins."

"All three of them?" Lancia asked.

"The losing team will pick a member of the winning team to gain immunity," Titian said. "In addition to immunity, the winner will enjoy a jet-skiing excursion."

"Wow, that sounds like... a lot of burned calories," I said.

"Any additional questions?" Titian pressed on.

"How does the game work again?"

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

The teams were randomly selected, placing me with Hannah and Camellia. Since I had the strongest arm, I threw the ball to topple Lancia's stack. As the rocks were still in the air, the girls and I took off across the playground equipment, which was there just to make some barriers between us and our pursuers for a better chase. I threw another ball as I went, hitting Lancia in the back of the head before she expected it. She yelped but kept stacking the rocks.

 _56, 55, 54..._

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

Lancia had steady hands from all her years of gymnastics. She just needed us to buy her a little time to get the stack up. If we kept Team B away from the stack for just a fraction of a minute, she could get the stack back up.

We needed to play fast and aggressive. If we tagged an opponent, he or she had to retreat to the side of the field. We could tag them but they couldn't tag us, meaning they had to run if we came at them. Ash was the fastest, so he targeted Deme. I focused on Hannah. We kept an eye on Camellia together, since she was the slowest and the smallest threat.

 _43, 42, 41..._

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

Angora was close on my tail. I ran across a bouncing bridge and vaulted over the side unexpectedly, gaining distance as she had to slow down in order to jump after me. I leaped over a slide and barely made it across without tripping. Hopefully Angora would have to run around it instead. I ran parallel to the clearing until I was as close as I would get to the stack and threw another ball. Lancia batted it out of the air like a cat an instant before it would have hit the stack.

 _Oh come on..._

 _39, 38, 37..._

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

Lancia groaned when another of Hannah's balls toppled the top half of her stack, sending three rocks to the ground. She hastily restacked them as I charged toward Hannah and forced her into retreat.

"How much longer?" I asked as I ran past Lancia toward Deme.

"Almost there," she said. Deme threw wildly over my shoulder, unable to aim since I was getting too close and he had to run. I looked over my shoulder as Lancia smacked the last rock on top of the stack and held her hands on either side as it stabilized.

"Don't fall, don't fall, don't fall," she pleaded. The stack wobbled another instant and then settled.

"That's it! That's enough! Team A wins the challenge!"

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" Ash crowed as he slapped my hand.

"I knew you were the right choice," Angora said. "I'd give that a 10."

"Now for Team B's consolation prize," Titian said. "Which of your opponents do you think deserves a spot in the final five?" Deme threw up his arms and pointed at his teammates with an indulgent smile.

"Yeah girls, who'll it be?" he asked.

"We want Lancia," they said.

"Well who would have guessed."

* * *

 **I asked for challenge ideas and got this very complex English children's game. But I asked, so I delivered. I had to do it this time, too, since it had to be even and 4 wouldn't be enough. Lancia won the random number draw, so I structured the teams in a way where she would be picked.**

 **Gimme them votes and we'll see about that final five.**


	77. In Soviet Russia

Angora Chenille, D8

I wasn't sure how I'd lasted so long. I wasn't the fastest, or the smartest, or the strongest. I was one of the nicer ones, but I wasn't the nicest. I was only the quietest. I hadn't made any particular enemies, and that must have been enough. But not making any enemies meant there wasn't anyone I wanted to vote for. Lancia was maybe the most classical Victor out of us. With her skills, she could have won a normal Games. Hannah was the one we all wanted to see die the least, and the one we'd feel the worst about killing. Camellia was such a little girl it didn't seem possible she'd die, and Ash was so bombastic it seemed just as ridiculous to think of him cold and still in a coffin. That only left Deme, who was also too nice to vote out. All the nice people were left because we were too nice to vote for anyone else who was nice.

The end was almost in sight. Titian had mentioned it would be three people in the final vote, so that left just three to cut normally. Couldn't they give some sort of consolation prize for the runners-up? Like not dying? It would be great for morale. Everyone would love Snow for letting three kids live. And everyone would be... less terrified of Titian.

There was a lot of camaraderie around camp, but as soon as we got to tribal council, it was gone with the wind. We spent the entire time stealing glances at each other, wondering who was voting for who and wanting to search each others' faces without garnering suspicion ourselves. At the same time, none of us were paying that much attention to each other, since we were all paranoid that any move could be misinterpreted as threatening. As soon as Titian appeared, we all locked onto him in relief.

"Almost at the end," he said. "Things must be really heating up."

"They are!" I almost yelled out of nowhere. I was getting pretty sick of his crap. "What of kind of dumb question is that anyway? We're gonna die! Of _course_ we're heating up!"

All the others in the circle turned to look at me.

"Nice," Camellia said. I didn't even know where it came from. I tended to keep my feelings contained, and sometimes they just came out like that. It sure broke up the tension, though. Deme and Lancia were laughing nervously, and Camellia was laughing genuinely. No one thought quiet little Angora would go and do something like that.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

I was secure in my vote. It wasn't pleasant, but we'd left that behind a long time ago. If the others didn't agree with me, the person I voted for wouldn't die anyway. If the others voted the same way, we were all in it together.

"Once the votes are counted, the decision is final," Titian said. "If anyone has a hidden immunity idol they would like to play, now is the time."

"I'd like to use this," Hannah said. Most of us jumped at the noise. She handed Titian her idol and sat down in relief.

 _That's going to change things._ I didn't know everyone's votes, but with only six people left, this would almost certainly affect things.

"Any votes cast for Hannah will not count," Titian said. "Let's read the votes. Hannah. Does not count. Hannah. Does not count. Hannah. Does not count. Hannah. Does not count."

 _Ouch._ Four out of six votes, all for Hannah. Girl didn't deserve that. She looked equal parts relieved and resigned. She must have known her number was up, and she must have known it would be up again next week.

"Two votes left," Titian continued. "Our fifth vote is for Deme." Deme curled forward in his chair, arms on his knees. "The person joining Deme tonight in a duel is Camellia."

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

I wasn't strong or fast. I definitely wasn't as strong or as fast as Deme. People thought of me as the fun one, but when duels came, I was scared. Someone else would have to make people laugh now.

"I hope you came with an empty stomach, because this challenge will test your appetite," Titian said. _I did well last time we ate gross stuff..._

 _"_ Behind me you will see two spits, each containing an entire roast pig. We've coated them with a luxurious marinade and basted them in spices, so don't worry about the taste. On my mark, both of you will run toward your pig and take a mouthful of meat, using _only_ your mouth, and spit it into the bowl on the other side of the field. At the end of two minutes, we will weigh your bowls. The person who has more will advance. The loser will be eliminated."

"No fair! Camellia has a bigger mouth!" Deme yelled, and I had to smile. He was such a good guy. We were minutes from death, and he was trying to cheer me up.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

It wasn't right to see Camellia scared. She was a little girl who had no business being here. I wasn't brave enough to throw a challenge and save her, but I could at least help her out. She stuck her tongue out at me just before the buzzer sounded.

The pork was delicious, but I couldn't swallow it. I had to carry it to the bowl. The sticky sauce smeared across my face and went up my nose, clinging even after I spat the load into the bowl. I saw Camellia taking a mouthful as I ran to get more, both of us moving like penguins with our arms crossed behind our backs to avoid cheating.

Usually we could keep an eye on things, but it was impossible to tell who was doing better this time. The meat was fatty and had sinew and stuff, so it was hard to know which bowl weighed more. The cheers were evenly divided, too. Lancia and Hannah were cheering for Camellia, but Angora was rooting for me. The others sort of switched back and forth. We'd all been hoping for Hannah, so neither me nor Camellia were really disliked.

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

Deme was a lot taller than I was. His legs were longer, and he'd gotten a lot more loads of meat than I had. I was giving it my all, and if things went south, at least I'd go out with the taste of perfectly seasoned pork in my mouth. If I _did_ go out, I hoped Hannah or Lancia won. There was no one I disliked, but I liked them most of all.

"One minute left!"

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

I hoped Cross was right about the Heaven thing. If that was the case, it was okay to die. People had been doing it forever and we'd keep doing it forever, so it must be okay. None of us liked it, but maybe it was like eating broccoli. No one liked eating broccoli, but it was good for you. I hoped Cross was right about the details, too. If he was, then if Camellia died, she could play with Sammy again. She'd be a kid forever. That seemed to suit her. And if it was me, I could play with all the little kids. And in Heaven there would be no broccoli.

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

"Thirty seconds left!"

I had meat in my eye. And _yuck_ was it sticky. It was complete chaos- me and Deme running back and forth like maniacs and everyone else cheering. The people on the benches were craning their necks trying to check the levels of the bowls, and Deme and I were trying to sneak peeks too. I grabbed a last mouthful of meat and spewed it into the bowl just as Titian called time.

"That's it! That is time! Let's weigh the bowls!"

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

We could relax now. It was out of our control. Camellia and I held hands as Titian placed my bowl on the scale.

"Three pounds, eight ounces," he announced. "Very nice. Let's see if it holds up." He put Camellia's bowl on the scale and we held on tighter.

" _It's okay,"_ I whispered.

"Two pounds, nine ounces," Titian announced. Camellia gasped as soon as she heard the 'two'. My heart flew up in my chest and I fought the urge to scoop her up and run away with her.

As Titian finished his sentence, the forest quavered and the ground shook. A boar the size of a truck barreled into the clearing. It ran toward us and grabbed Camellia by her shirt. It pulled her out of my grasp and disappeared into the trees, tusks flashing and hooves pounding. Everyone was quiet for a minute.

"Is... is she dead?" Ash asked. A cannon answered him.

* * *

 **...pig eat YOU!**

 **6th place: Camellia Spruce- carried away by giant boar**

 **This was a close one. Camellia and Deme both had one vote, so I went back through every council and counted. In previous votes, they both had... one vote (not counting the bogus ones I gave Deme, because they were bogus). It was the first time a real tie had come up, and I didn't know what to do. Normally I might have gone by popularity, but I knew Camellia was more popular and didn't want to favor her. So I used the random number generator and Deme won. I was hoping Camellia might win since this time it was votes and it wouldn't be unfair, but so it goes. I HAVE, however, decided that after killing five of Silver's Tributes (two of them twice) that I have sufficiently shown my lack of nepotism, and I will now consider her Tributes eligible in normal Games. I also hope this death puts to rest any more suspicions of favoritism. So thanks Silver, and now you actually have a chance.**

 **Time to re-hide the idol! The last time you can use it is... next challenge, I think (final five sounds right, since the final vote will be with three people). So guess quick and guess hard, I guess, since there will only be two clues.**

 **Clue one: Where Captain Kirk fought a big green dude, Bill and Ted met their doubles, who were very rude**


	78. Anarchy Reigns

Sequoia Wilson, D7

This was the only time Camellia ever could have had a chance at winning. It didn't come true at the end, but I hoped she'd had fun while it lasted. Sherman had been a wild card, and he would have been the same in a normal Games. This was such an odd format that none of the mentors knew what to expect. As a result, we all kept our expectations low. Even lower than we did most years.

* * *

District Seven

Happy families are all alike, but unhappy families are all unhappy in their own ways. The members of the Betula family went through their own grief processes, but each supported the others. The Spruces preferred to celebrate Camellia's life instead of focusing on her death. Her funeral was noisy and boisterous, exactly the way she would have wanted.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

It couldn't get much worse now. Bailey was gone, and now Camellia was too. I liked everyone who was left, but those two were special. The only one still here who I'd really bonded with was Lancia. At least she didn't look like she was going anywhere anytime soon. She almost certainly voted for me, though, which cut me to the core. I didn't have to be a genius to know Camellia didn't vote for me, and that meant everyone else did. Were they tired of me moping around, or were they just grasping at whatever kept their own heads above water? It didn't matter. I'd be dead either way.

We all wanted to just get the last two votes over with and get to the final three. Two more people were going to die, and we wished we could fast-forward past it and get the nightmare done. I hardly even cared if it was me anymore. I wanted to live like everyone else, but if I died, I wouldn't have to be scared all the time anymore. If I was going to die, I wished it had been at the start. It would have saved me a lot of stress.

"Who would vote for Camellia, anyway?" Angora asked after we'd sat around mourning half the night.

"Probably whoever did it thought no one else would and didn't mean for this to happen," I said. I avoided the question of the name on all the other votes.

"No one wants to vote for anyone now," Deme said, addressing the point I hadn't wanted to bring forward.

"It sucks," Lancia agreed. We turned the conversation back to safe matters, like Camellia.

The clearing was empty when we met there for our next challenge. Titian held the only thing we'd need: a long, thick tangle of ropes.

"I call today's challenge 'The Starfish'," he said. "This coil of rope has five harnesses on five ends. We'll tie each of you into one harness and place you in the middle of the field. At the edges of the field, you'll see marked-off areas with your names on them. When the challenge begins, each of you will start pulling toward your own name, pulling against everyone else in the group. You can work together as much as you want, but there can only be one winner. First person to touch the area marked with their name with any part of their body wins the challenge and the reward. The winner of today's challenge will enjoy a private movie screening at an outdoor theater we've set up. He or she will choose one guest that will enjoy a variety of concessions and, of course, free refills. Worth playing for?"

Nobody said anything, of course. That was Camellia's job. Without her, we had a moment of silence.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

 _This doesn't seem very fair._ Ash and Deme were on either side of me, and they were both way bigger than me. As soon as Titian gave the signal, everyone surged forward, and Ash and Deme's charges flung me straight to the ground. Ash tripped over me and brought the whole ungodly starfish down in a tangle. Lancia was the first to get up, of course, but she couldn't move forward at all, since it would mean dragging four people behind her. I scrambled to my feet and had to move away from my goal just to avoid tripping again.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"Sorry, sorry, sorry..."

Hannah was squashed underneath me, and I was trying to get off her without smashing into someone else. Angora and Lancia were up and trying to move toward their goals, but they were on opposite sides of the field and neither could make progress with three of us still down. Deme made it back to his feet, giving me and Hannah enough room to get up. All five of us started to untangle the jumbled ropes and position ourselves as best we could beside the people whose goals were near our own. That put me next to Deme, where I'd started. I bumped into Lancia and started to tip over, but Deme grabbed my rope and hauled me back upright, averting another pileup.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

Before Ash and Deme got up, us three girls were able to make some progress toward our goals. Our names were lined up in a row, so we were moving in basically the same direction. When Ash and Deme started forward, they dragged us off diagonally, changing our direction to bring us toward Hannah's area, which was halfway between our aim and theirs. I saw then that the strategy was more complicated than it looked. I not only had to get toward my goal, but also make sure the others didn't get to theirs. Instead of moving directly toward my area, I started pulling directly opposite Hannah's, which brought me obliquely closer to mine at the same time, while also frustrating the boys' progress. Not that any of this was very noticeable. All our efforts canceled each other out- we'd barely moved from the center of the field.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

"Hey, Ash. We're next to each other."

"Yeah?"

"Let's just pull as hard as we can in that general direction, and maybe we can tire the others out."

"Hannah and Angora, sure, but not Lancia."

"Right. Let's pull opposite her goal, since she's the strongest."

"You know I can hear you, right?"

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

We were moving toward my goal, solely because it happened to be in the middle of two opposing forces. Then Deme and Ash switched directions, pulling exactly away from my goal and toward their own diagonally. The sudden change tripped me up, and the boys started dragging me across the dirt like a sack of spuds. We lurched toward their goals as Lancia and Angora dug in their heels to slow them down.

Once we were within a few feet of Ash and Deme's goals, the boys had to break up their partnership and duke it out. They both pulled toward their own names while Lancia, Angora and I just tried to get them farther away. In all the chaos, it was hard to see if we were helping or hindering each other. It didn't matter in the end, since Deme threw himself forward in a bellyflop, stretching the tip of one finger across his line.

"Deme is across the line! Deme wins immunity and reward!"

* * *

 **I didn't use the Survivor list for this challenge, but I wouldn't be surprised if they thought of it before I did. If they haven't used it, they should, because I want to see it.**

 **Get yo' votes in, everyone!**

 **The immunity idol has been found! It was at Vasquez Rocks, the location used to film the scene where Captain Kirk bravely fought the Gorn, and later referenced in Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey when the duo's android replicas murder them there.**


	79. BOOM!

Bambi Kirkland, D10 Mentor

I didn't like Gael. I felt bad that I didn't feel worse, but I'd never felt as bad as some people about losing Tributes. I knew being a Victor wasn't always that much better, and sometimes it's best just to go. It was like something I read in an old book: sometimes dead is better.

* * *

Calvary Warsaw, D10

Bailey was pretty kickass. I thought she might win. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but I thought she might have it in her. What made it worse was that it wasn't really her fault she died. You could get screwed over by one vote, and the votes decided who you fought. You might get Abrexa, or you might get Potato. She might have won if it had been someone else. Whoever actually won, Bailey might have beat them in a duel. It seemed terribly unfair.

* * *

District Ten

The Orfords took solace in the fact that Gael got a tiny taste of luxury before he died. They knew most people didn't even get that much, no matter how much they dreamed or how hard they worked. They hadn't wanted to tell him, and he had to find out for himself. Quicksilver didn't know why the Arroyos were so downcast, but she knew something was wrong when Bailey didn't come home. She wandered the farm for days, searching along the fence for her rider.

* * *

Peppermint Wilson, D11 Mentor

Despite Rahina's fears, she _was_ missed. While her family hadn't paid any attention to her broadcasts, Brock and Marina knew her value. They took in another kid almost right away. She was a quiet and sunny girl, and had Rahina been there, she surely would have hated her. Everyone and no one missed Potato, the wild boy of the fields. Some children said he haunted the District, and others said his body was buried with the crops and merged with the growing potatoes. A lot of kids refused to eat their potatoes that year.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

Just two more votes, and we'd be done. No more choosing who to die and wondering when it would be you. We could let the nation, or whoever it was- Titian hadn't been very clear on that- do the rest and wait for our fates. It was even harder to vote with so few people. At first, we could bury one poor soul in an avalanche of votes and each one of us could feel less responsible. Now people lived or died on one vote. Several of us had been solely responsible for a death.

"It must feel pretty nice to be you right about now," Titian said after I lit my torch and sat down. Everyone else eyed the unwieldy necklace I was wearing.

"Maybe a little," I said. "I'm still nervous though. I might be safe, but everyone else isn't." More than the votes, I was relieved about the duel. I didn't have to die, and I didn't have to kill anyone else.

"We're so close to the end. It would be especially bitter to die now," Titian said.

Lancia held up her palms in a shrug. "Dead is dead. It doesn't matter when," she said.

"The people who died early had a lot less stress," Angora said quietly. She looked around nervously, like everyone was expecting her to freak out again.

"Voting is the worst part," I said.

"We talk about it, but you never know who's really going to vote for who," Hannah agreed. "You never know if you might be the only one and someone dies."

"That's the game," Titian said. _Easy for him to say. He doesn't care about anyone._

"Once the votes are read, the decision is final," Titian said when the votes were in. "If anyone has an immunity idol and would like to use it, now is the time."

"I'd like to use this." _How do people find those things so fast?_ I'd never seen a trace of one. Obviously, Hannah didn't have that problem.

"I think that's a good idea," Titian said as he took it. Hannah avoided our eyes as she sat down, and we avoided hers.

"Any votes cast for Hannah will not count," Titian said. "Let's read the votes. Our first vote is for Hannah. It does not count. Hannah. Does not count. Lancia." Lancia went pale and looked sick. We'd all seen this happen before. An immunity idol played by the target usually left a single vote- the target's- and it could go anywhere. "Hannah, does not count. In the case of a tie or a single vote, we will move into a preestablished protocol. The last vote is for... Ash."

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

This was the one way I didn't want to go. I didn't want to be the random goat who got sent into a duel on one vote. That had killed people before, and I'd been dreading it. It was just so meaningless.

The challenge equipment consisted of nothing but two whiteboards and two cannons, each pointing at one of us.

"Today's challenge will test your patriotism. I will ask a series of questions about past Hunger Games. Write your answers on the board and show them when I direct you. The first person to answer incorrectly three times will learn about the Games firsthand via these very traditional cannons. The survivor will rejoin the competition," he explained.

 _All right, that's not so bad. I watch the Hunger Games every year,_ I joked with myself.

"First question. What is the name of the first Victor?" Titian asked. It seemed they wanted at least a few rounds.

"Both Lancia and Ash have written 'Orchard Angelou'. That is correct," Titian said. "Next question: what was the Arena for the twenty-fourth Hunger Games?"

 _Swamp,_ I wrote. Ash and I revealed our answers.

"Ash has written 'mangrove'. Lancia has written 'swamp'. We cannot accept 'swamp'. Lancia has one incorrect answer. Ash has none."

My heart skipped. I didn't know there was a specific word. Now I was down one. I was one-third of the way to death.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

That didn't seem very fair. A mangrove _was_ a swamp. I only knew the fancy word because I happened to read a scary book set in a swamp with quagmires.

"Third question: who placed third in the fortieth Hunger Games? A first name is sufficient."

 _What kind of question is that? First you got the first Victor, then_ this? _Bit of a switch..._ I went over the finale in my head and tried to work backwards. I scribbled down a name just as time ran out.

"Ash has written 'DeMarcus'. Lancia has written 'Vextrix'. The correct answer is... DeMarcus."

Lancia clutched her whiteboard and closed her eyes to steady herself. My good memory for names had me two ahead right out of the gate. I was more surprised than she was.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

It was do or die now. I'd used up all my spare chances. If I got one more question wrong, I would die. It should have made me so nervous I screwed myself up, but instead I got a weirdly euphoric zen.

"Fourth question: name one mutt present in the forty-third Hunger Games. Proper names are not required, only descriptions."

 _Gummy bears,_ I quickly wrote. Ash picked the same answer.

"Fifth question: who was the youngest Victor?"

"Lancia has written 'Woof'. Ash has written 'Pray'. The correct answer is... Woof." I was still in this.

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"Sixth question: what year introduced the indoor Arena?"

 _Oh, shoot._ Whatever it was, it was before my time. And did he mean completely indoor or more artificial? Did that playground count?

 _Twenty-second,_ I wrote. Even if it was the playground, I didn't remember what year that was. I peeked at Lancia's answer after we showed our boards. She'd written _Thirtieth._

"The first indoor Arena was a large mall. It was presented in the thirtieth year of the Games," Titian said. Just like that, I'd lost all my lead. "Lancia and Ash are now both one away from elimination."

I'd been pushing away the thought of death all this time, and it still seemed remote. I was alive. I couldn't be dead. I'd never been dead before. I couldn't make sense of it.

"Seventh question: how did Ember Steiner die in the forty-third Hunger Games?"

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

 _Ember Steiner._ The name rang a bell. Of course I knew she was Crag's kid, but I remembered her face. She made it almost to the end. She died suddenly. An outlier kid killed her...

I had it. I wrote down my answer and looked over at Ash as soon as we flipped our signs. I felt a surge of exhilaration when I saw he'd written something different. But maybe I was wrong after all. We both locked eyes on Titian.

"Lancia has written 'poison dart'. Ash has written 'Blake's claws'. The answers are different, so at least one is wrong. However, one of these answers is correct. The correct answer is... poison dart."

 _BOOM!_

My ears filled with the loudest noise I'd ever heard, and I dropped my whiteboard to cover them. I scrunched my eyes shut, so I didn't see the impact. I did see the aftermath, though. Ash was in pieces. There was a ragged hole through his chest so big I could see the ground through it. Intestines and innards were strewn around it like streamers and confetti. His ribcage was splayed open and I could see the bones glinting white. Titian took his torch and doused it in the fire. I couldn't hear a thing, so I didn't hear the hiss, but I saw the smoke curling into the air, just like the smoke curling off Ash.

* * *

 **Usually I mark the bogus votes, but this time I didn't. Lancia's vote was actually fake. I only had one non-Hannah vote. Instead of calling for a revote and making everyone wait a day to gather them, I chose Lancia for a fake vote and didn't tell anyone so there would be suspense.**

 **5th place: Ash Summers- hit by cannon**

 **Usually the quiz is about local culture, but the Tributes don't know anything about Tonga. I picked the Games so readers could follow along and guess the answers.**

 **I was surprised Ash lasted this long. He was a cool dude, but it seemed like there wasn't much to him. He was a nice, friendly athletic guy. Maybe that's why he lasted. There was really no reason to vote him out. Even now he only got voted out because Hannah used the idol. I don't think anyone hates her, either- they're just afraid they won't be able to beat her in a final vote. Anyway, it's a bummer about Ash. If he gets resurrected, he should ally with Ash Smith and they can call themselves The Ashassins. Thanks Redwut and you got really far in a voting Games as a new submitter.**


	80. Perilous Potatoes

Angora Chenille, D8

There was only one more cut. Whatever challenge came next, it was the very last immunity challenge. There was barely any conversation that night. We were all making our plans for one last push. Nobody knew what was going to happen with the final three, but we had some ideas. The going theory was that the Capitol would vote on who should win- in which case, they would probably pick Hannah. The other going theory was that everyone in the top three got to live, which made this last vote the most cutthroat of all. All our consciences had been eroded from the weeks we'd been on the island. We all told ourselves it was one last time, and after that we'd be good again.

If I got back home, I didn't know what I'd find. The people at home didn't see who voted for who unless we showed the cameras, so no one would know if I was responsible for killing anyone. No one would hold the duels against me, since those were self-defense. But I was going to be different. I'd seen twenty kids die, some of them in terrible ways. I couldn't go back to childhood and the quaint assumption that kids were immortal. Seeing the Games in years past took some of that away, but the ids were never real if I hadn't actually known them. Even watching Dash die wasn't like this. Sick people were allowed to die. Normal kids weren't.

Titian greeted us the next day holding a potato. _He's bringing back Potato's ghost,_ was my first thought. Based on the others' expressions, they had similar misgivings.

"Today's challenge pays homage to one of our dearly beloved departed," Titian said. "I trust everyone here is familiar with hot potato?"

 _Never mind it's not a ghost._ I _was_ familiar with hot potato. I never played it as much as other games more common in Eight, like Cat's Cradle, but I knew the ropes. Toss potato, someone calls time, someone gets eliminated. We usually started with more than four people, but it could be done.

"This potato is unfortunately only a fascimile. It has a timer built in and will sound a buzzer when the time runs out. The times are randomly generated, so there's really no strategy this time. Last person left is the winner of immunity and reward. We kind of ran out of ideas for stuff for you, so today's winner will earn a planeload of supplies for their District. Still worth playing for?"

No one took the bait. We were through giving him the praise he wanted.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

It was a relief that the game was entirely luck. It meant I didn't have to worry about strategy or second-guess myself. I just tossed as fast as I could and we all waited to see who the unlucky first loser was.

 _AAAAAOOOOOOGAAHHH!_

We'd expected a horn or a buzz, not... _that._ Angora dropped the potato reflexively.

"Angora is the first player eliminated!"

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

 _This is so bizarre. What has my life become?_

I was tossing a life-or-death potato. The three of us were silent as we volleyed the tuber back and forth at top speed. I was just glad Titian didn't make it so the potato exploded if we dropped it. A fumble just meant extra time spent picking it up.

 _What happens if it explodes in midair?_ I had a feeling the time wasn't _completely_ random. The potato most likely sensed it was moving and waited to explode until it touched skin. The potato of death bounced between us, waiting to drop its deadly payload.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

The potato reminded me of home. We grew grain in Nine, but potatoes were cheap and easy, so we ate a lot of them. Sometimes we made flour out of them, which seemed odd in a District that made all the flour for Panem. None of us could afford the good stuff, of course. Store-bought flour was fine and bleached white. Ours was brown and clumpy. Nothing beat the smell of freshly baked bread, though.

 _AAAAOOOOGAH!_

 _Well that_ certainly _doesn't beat the smell of freshly baked bread._

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

 _Shucks, there goes Deme._

If I didn't win, of course I wanted Deme to win. That would mean Nine still got the supplies. What a weird world it was where life-giving supplies were treated as a generous surprise. It was like giving water as a gift.

It was just me and Lancia after that. Having two people left really drove home how it was all luck. We both had a fifty percent chance of winning. Even if we'd known the time left, we couldn't affect the outcome. A slightly errant throw or a half-fumble would mess everything back up. We weren't even looking at each other. We just kept out eyes on the potato. Nobody was cheering either way, since it had turned out exactly the wrong way for cheering. Deme and Angora would root for each other, and Lancia and I would have cheered for the other if we weren't competing.

 _AAAAOOOOOGAH!_

"Lancia is out! Hannah wins the challenge and reward!"

* * *

 **There we have the very last immunity challenge. Usually in Survivor this episode goes straight into the vote for an extended runtime, but I have to get the votes, so I'll have to wait. I already have two, so send em' in and we can get going.**


	81. Hang Em' High

Hannah Dandelion, D9

I had immunity for this final vote. I felt insulated from everything, like a plague had swept over everyone and I was the only one who didn't catch it. I still didn't want to watch anyone else die, though. The others each had a one in three chance of dying. It would almost certainly come down to a single vote. The nicest of us were already gone. The _best_ of us were already gone.

"Here we are for one last vote," Titian said. "After this, the final three will participate in one last non-immunity activity and then we'll move into the final phase of the Games. Is everyone ready?"

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Angora asked.

"Any last-minute messages you have for the viewers or your families?" Titian asked, ignoring Angora's insubordination.

"If I die, remember I'm gone so I'm not sad. You can move on," Deme said.

"I'll take care of Sara," I said.

"I was going to die someday," Lancia said.

"I love you," Angora said.

"Four very selfless messages," Titian said. "Will your votes be as altruistic?"

This last vote was almost a formality. Everyone knew who everyone else was voting for. I was safe, but there was someone else who also didn't have to worry. It was the other two who were on the chopping block.

"Hannah has the immunity idol, so you cannot vote for her," Titian said. The unspoken question hung in the air: _unless you want to give it to someone?_ For once, Titian was right. I wasn't that altruistic.

"Once the votes are read, the decision is final. Let's read the votes. Our first vote is for Deme. Deme. Two votes is enough. Deme will be participating in the duel. The third vote is for Deme. Deme's vote will decide who joins him in a duel. Deme's vote is for... Lancia."

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

There was a silver lining to getting voted in for this last duel. After this came the final vote, which we all knew was going to be decided by all of Panem. The others picked based on who they thought they wouldn't win against in that vote. That meant they thought I was nice enough or popular enough to be a threat. It didn't make up for maybe dying, but it made me feel like I was worth something.

The challenge paraphernalia consisted of two ominous nooses slung over pulleys, each connected to a heavy-looking bag. The loops were above our heads when we first got to the field, but Titian filled us in.

"Today's challenge is all about endurance. Each of you will pick up a bag with one hand, holding it straight out to your side with arm extended. At that point, the noose will be low enough for you to place it around your neck. As long as you hold the bag up, you'll be fine. Drop the bag, and you'll go up instead. Your bags weigh ten percent of what you weigh, in order to compensate for your different sizes. Let's start the duel."

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

Who was I fooling, anyway? It didn't matter if I got to the end. No one would vote for me. They'd vote for nice sweet Hannah. I was already out of it. I should just drop the bag and let Deme go on. At least he had a chance.

It wasn't that easy, though. Survival instincts ran deep, and hope sprang eternal. My brain knew how slim my chances were, but my heart kept telling me there was hope as long as I was alive. Even as my arm gret tired and started to ache, I couldn't give up.

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

I'd already killed two kids. I was the scourge of Seven after Sherman and Camellia. If all Panem got to vote, there went one-twelfth of my chances. If it was just the Capitol, killing Camellia would still hurt the odds. Lancia was a nice girl. If her chances were so much better than mine, it wasn't fair for me to win. I should bow out and let her have a chance at life.

I couldn't bring myself to do it just yet. I kept telling myself I'd wait just a few more minutes and see what happened, as though there were more than two possibilities. As the time crept by, I permitted myself some indulgent fantasies about what might have happened if I'd met my opponents differently. All us Tributes really knew each other so little. There might have been friends, or enemies, or so much more in our disparate group. No one would ever know now.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

An hour into the duel, I wanted to cry. I could feel the muscles in my arm and the lactic acid pooling up in them, making them burn as they strained to stay straight. We were in a horrible, unnatural position. It was like something from an old painting the Capitol would have banned. My arm grew a mind of its own and pleaded with me to let it rest. I'd heard stories about people who snapped their muscles after tensing them too long and who could never relax them again. Did that meant they felt this pain forever?

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

"Tears running down Lancia's face as she strains to stay in the game! Deme sees her and that sets him off, too."

Was I still a good guy after this? I always tried to help people and work hard back in Nine. I didn't know if that balanced this out. Nothing could balance out killing two kids. That wasn't all my fault, but I didn't know if there was enough there to make me a bad person.

"I'm sorry," I said to Lancia.

"I'm sorry too," she said. If we ended up in Hell, at least there would be almost two dozen of us. Surely Sammy and Camellia wouldn't be there, or Potato. Potato wasn't capable of sin. But I was.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D5

Whoever won, it would at least be over. The winner could drop their arm and crawl off to cry in pain and guilt. By now, my frame of reference had shrunk from hours, to minutes, to seconds. I couldn't imagine keeping my arm up longer than another five seconds. Time passed in those five-second increments, over and over.

There was a thud, then a snap. I saw it unfold so much slower than it sounded. Deme couldn't hold back his impulses for a single instant, and his bag dropped. The rope went down with it, pulling the other end into the air. The other end was still attached to Deme's neck. It yanked him off his feet and snapped his neck as it did. It laid cocked against the rope as he swayed gently.

* * *

 **And there's the last duel. Kind of makes you sentimental, doesn't it? Deme is the last to die out of 21 kids. Only a few chapters left in the Games. I've been writing them quick so I can maybe reach the finale before I go back to work in two days.**

 **4th place: Deme Fields, D9- Hanged**

 **A lot of people thought Deme could win. And he COULD have won. That's probably why people voted for him. No doubt they would have voted for Hannah had she not won the final immunity. I knew the voters would try to arrange so their Tribute would be with weaker ones, but I was hoping to get three strong contenders for the final three. So it's sad to see Deme go, and also because he was a nice guy. He felt terrible about what he had to do, but it really wasn't his fault at all. I'm sure he'll find that out when he washes up wherever all the other dead Tributes are. Thanks Reader for Deme, and now you see why changing the vote didn't matter after all.**

 **Final three now! Who will win- Angora, the quiet girl who has her breaking point? Lancia, the disciplined, ambitious gymnast? Or Hannah, the Games' sweetheart from day one? Soon all will be revealed.**


	82. Doused Torches

Angora Chenille, D8

"Congratulations, final three. Are you ready for your last challenge?"

Titian had said the final three went to the final vote, but we didn't trust him as far as we could throw him. Which was farther than it might have been, since he was really skinny.

"Don't worry, no one will be eliminated because of this. It's just a little Survivor tradition. We've laid out a series of torches with the names of the fallen Tributes, in the order in which they fell. We want you to go from torch to torch, honoring each of the dead. You can say anything you want or share memories before you slip the torch into the water, ceremonially letting them go."

 _That's it?_ We thought it would be something like fighting raccoons for scraps of food or racing piranhas to see who was allowed to use a pillow. This was horrifically disrespectful on Titian's part- pretending to honor the dead when he was the one that killed them- but for us, it was actually sort of meaningful. I wished we could get straight to the vote, though. We all wanted it over with.

The torches were along the coastline, so we had to get into a helpfully provided canoe to get to them. It would have been really nice to have Jackie or Reefe, since they'd seen a boat before in their lives. As it was, we had three landlocked Tributes, two from the city and one from the corn fields. We tried our best not to tip the canoe and inched forward as we tentatively paddled.

 _Nash Forger,_ the first torch read. None of us wanted to remember killing a little kid. Ash was the one who dueled him, so at least he wasn't around to feel guilty.

"Nash was just a kid. He shouldn't have been here," Hannah said. We slipped his torch into the water and watched it sink out of sight.

 _Jackie Hawkins_ came next. There was a picture of her underneath her name tag, just like Nash.

"If she hadn't gotten unlucky so early, I think she would have won," Lancia said. I thought the same. Lancia and Jackie were sort of similar- they were both athletic, but also personable and adaptable- and Lancia was at the end.

 _Reefe Mordecai_ was third. Four had an unlucky year this time. It wasn't really their fault. Jackie was a threat and Reefe... wasn't.

"He might have been kind of dumb, but this was a bit much," I said as his torch sank.

 _Aliara Bavier_ was fourth. I hadn't liked her much, but I didn't want her dead. No matter how nasty the Tributes were, we were all still kids. No one, even the nasty ones, deserved this. Hannah took the picture off the torch.

"Maybe they'll let the winner give it to Zelena," she said.

It felt ghoulish to go through the torches, dropping them like we were collecting scalps. Maybe some of us didn't want to remember the fallen. It was bad enough seeing them die once.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

 _Gael Orford_

"He was weird," Lancia said. "I guess he was smart though."

"That was the start of Rahina's streak, wasn't it?" I asked.

 _Potato_

"They had to know his real name, right?" I asked.

"His real name _was_ Potato," Angora said. It was unsettling to see his torch sink. He didn't even have a chance at life.

 _Cain Pander_

"May he rest in peace," Lancia said tactfully. We were too afraid to say anything else.

 _Ruby Lalonde_

"I liked her better than Charming," I said.

"Yeah, we should have gone after him first," Lancia said.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

 _Sparkil Maclein_

"I was really surprised she went that fast," Hannah said.

"That was Rahina again," I commented. _Rahina Herrington, widowmaker._

 _Sammy Voltage_

We'd all been dreading that one, especially whoever among us voted for her. There weren't really any excuses for voting for someone like Sammy. Her picture was smiling, and it gave me chills.

 _Manny Guerrero_

"Rahina's third notch," I said. None of us had really liked Manny, but he wasn't all that bad. He was only the grumpiest by default. People needed a villain, even if there weren't any.

 _Trent Buchanan_

Trent and I had made a weird friendship over the challenges. He was athletic, I was athletic... we liked to goof around. It was some weird mood whiplash to go from horseplay to dropping his torch into the water.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

 _Charming Goodwin_

"The mastermind," Lancia said.

"You were allied with him a long time, weren't you?" I asked.

"We all thought he was going to win it," she said.

 _Abrexa James, Jr_

"She wasn't like most Careers," Hannah said. Abrexa made me re-evalutate my ideas about the volunteers. Abrexa never seemed enthusiastic, and I wished she had told us why she really did it. She could have really been someone.

 _Bailey Arrayo_

Hannah lost it on that one. I shoved the torch in while Lancia hugged her. We paddled on swiftly to leave the memories behind.

 _Cross Spauldings_

That was when Lancia had trouble. They'd been good friends, and it seemed like they really made a difference in each others' lives.

"I know he's in Heaven," she said. I didn't know whether or not Lancia even believed in Heaven, but we could do that much for Cross.

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

 _Sherman Betula_

Sherman may have stayed in the background, but that wasn't a bad thing. People tended to take nice things for granted. You only stood out if you were mean.

 _Rahina Herrington_

"Titian was happy, anyway," I said.

"I was kind of hoping she'd win just so he would be mad," Angora admitted sheepishly. She was probably happy to be out of the world he was in.

 _Camellia Spruce_

"Whoever did that, dick move," Lancia said. Every Games had the mascot- the one Tribute cute and sweet enough that nobody wanted to kill him or her. Lyte, Alice, Camellia... they'd go on forever.

 _Ash Summers_

"I hope he saw the cannonball coming," Angora said. "This is weird, but I think he would have thought it was cool." The names came so fast. We'd voted Nash out a month ago, and Ash was just six days back. We were hurtling toward the finale.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

 _Deme Fields_

"I think he would have been one of the sad Victors," I said. I wasn't trying to make excuses so his death was actually "for the best", but it was still true. He would have taken it hard.

"That's the last one," Angora said. We paddled back to our camp as the sun set, casting a pallor over the island. It was all very elegaic, the way Titian would have wanted. We were supposed to meet with him in the elimination clearing after the ritual, presumedly for the final vote.

"Welcome back, final three. Are you ready for the finale?"

"We've been ready since the start," I said. I was glad we were getting right to it. That meant we didn't have to spend another night talking about it and arguing about who would win.

"I suppose you've noticed I'm standing in front of this huge screen," Titian said. "I thought you'd like to meet the people voting for the final Victor. Get ready."

A huge light flickered on, but it was above the screen instead of on it. It split into two spotlights, one on either edge of the screen. I saw something moving at the screen's edge, and then two lines of people streamed out from behind the screen- Deme, Ash, Camellia, Rahina, Sherman, Cross, Bailey, Abrexa, and Charming.

* * *

 **SURPRISE! We had to have a jury, right? So if you submitted one of those nine, you get to vote on the final Victor! The final three are all assumed to vote for themselves and thus don't vote. If you're one of the voters, you also get to send in a question directed to any of the final three. I'll message the submitters and get their answers for the next chapter, just like in Survivor final councils.**

 **I've been trying to make the deaths easy to fake starting with Charming. I forgot with Ash, though. I got no idea how they did that :/ In any case, the jurors have been chilling at Titian's version of the Survivor Ponderosa Ranch, where eliminated people hang out so the ending doesn't get leaked. There's food and entertainment there, though, so that's nice.**

 **I don't think Caleb's still reading, but if he is, now he (and you) know that I really needed to cut Trent instead of Camellia. Trent's submitter wasn't around, and I didn't want a non-voter in the council. I couldn't tell anyone without ruining the surprise, so I took the flak and planned this glorious moment. Get them votes and questions in and we'll get the council rolling!**


	83. Finale, Part 1

**I would have updated earlier, but my sisters wanted to use my computer to watch Dragonball Super. I'm waiting on one vote, but unless someone changes, one of the Tributes has reached the five necessary votes anyway, so I'll start writing the next chapter. Some of these questions were reader-submitted and some were fillers I made. I'd leave a gap in case the answers changed anyone's vote, but since some were written by me, I wouldn't want answers I wrote to affect submitters' chances.**

* * *

Hannah Dandelion, D9

 _What?!_

Bailey was standing in front of me, smiling back at my gaping face. Camellia was next to her, making a goofy face in imitation of mine.

"Of course we needed a jury-" Titian started. He stopped when I broke out of the group and barreled toward my friends. They met me with open arms and we smashed together into a group hug. Lancia followed along and squeezed in.

"You're not dead?" I asked.

"I don't think so," Camellia said.

"There's a building on the far side of the island," Bailey said. I kept looking them over from all angles, making sure they were really real as she went on. It was the best thing I could ever have imagined. I didn't know Titian _could_ do something nice. I'd already won the best prize.

"We watched the rest of the show from there," Bailey went on.

"Good thing you didn't talk any smack about us," Camellia said.

"Of course not!" I said. I was too happy to even cry with happiness. I felt like I was about to burst into near-hysterical laughter.

"We saw you die though," Lancia said.

"It was all fake, starting with Charming," Bailey said. "That's why the pig ran away with Camellia instead of eating her."

"That was a weird experience. The pig is nice though," Camellia said.

"None of us have any idea how they pulled me off though," Ash said.

"So the others... they're really dead?" I asked.

"Yeah," Camellia said, her face falling.

"But we're okay. It's... better than nothing," Bailey said. It was selfish, but I agreed with her. Later I'd feel bad about the dead people, but now, I was over the moon to see my friends again.

* * *

Angora Chenille, D8

" _Anyway."_ Titian said again, trying to corral Lancia and Hannah back to their areas. "If everyone will return to their assigned places, we will proceed with the finale." The other finalists reluctantly moved back into the center of the clearing, where Titian had set up logs to sit on.

"In an act of unprecedented mercy, President Snow has decided to spare the top twelve finishers," Titian said. I was so stunned by the jury reveal that nothing he said seemed important, but I tried to listen anyway. "The nine recently eliminated contestants will vote on the final winner, who will enjoy Victor status. The runners-up will be returned to their families." The jury must have already been informed of this, since they didn't react, but Lancia, Hannah and I about fell off our seats.

 _We're not going to die?_ I'm _not going to die?_ I'd known I didn't have a chance to win. I still didn't, but now it didn't matter.

"First, however, we will hold a final council. Each member of the jury is allowed to ask the finalists a question. Answer however you want, but be aware that your answers will influence the vote. There are no criteria for voting- jury, vote for whatever reasons you desire. Five votes are necessary to win."

 _Okay, let's see if it's Hannah or Lancia._ The jury sat down on a long bench to give their questions one by one. I still couldn't believe they were really alive. They sat in order of elimination, and Charming stood to give his question.

* * *

Charming Goodwin, D1

"My question is for each member of the jury." I could tell by Titian's expression that that wasn't exactly the rules, but he was intrigued and let me go on. "Which of you deserves to win the least?"

Lancia went first, out of a natural inclination to go from left to right. "What a rotten question. Since I have to say someone, I'll say Angora. I have nothing against her, but I feel like she's had an easier time here. She hasn't lost, or thought she lost, as many friends."

"I think it's Lancia," Hannah admitted reluctantly. "Angora and I have both lost a sibling, and Lancia came from a more stable and complete home. It's not the best logic, but since I have to say something, I think maybe we deserve a break more."

"I'll complete the cycle and say Hannah," Angora said. "I think she's had the most help over the weeks. Everyone liked her from the start. Lancia had some allies too, but Hannah was practically our mascot."

I'd hoped to create some sticky situations with my question. All three of the finalists had handled it pretty well, but I still enjoyed their discomfort. I wasn't usually avaricious, but I thought I deserved it after they killed me. I might have lived, but they still tried to kill me. I was a little annoyed about that.

* * *

Abrexa James, Jr. D2

"My question is also for all three finalists," I said, since Charming had taken the plunge and proven that was allowed. "What action do you most regret during the Games?"

"I was the only one who voted for someone who died, or was supposed to have died." Hannah said. Of course we all hoped she'd say who, but she didn't. "I'm really sorry."

"I regret not connecting more with my teammates. I never really fit in, and I missed out on some great friendships," Angora said.

"My biggest regret was not being able to arrange things so Cross didn't die. But I guess it's all right, since he's not really dead," Lancia said.

* * *

Bailey Arrayo, D10

"My question is for Angora," I said. "Which out of all twenty-four of us would you have voted for to win?"

"If I still thought everyone was going to die, I think I would have voted for Sammy. She was the hardest to see go. Now that I know all the details, my vote would be for Cross. Mostly because he's my District partner and it would be good for Eight, but also because I know he'd use the prize money to help people."

* * *

Cross Spauldings, D8

I think we all know where my vote is going tonight," I said. "Lancia, I'm giving you this bit of time to tell everyone how you were the center of strategy in our alliance."

""The only way I felt secure was to have control of what's going on around me and to be able to understand it. I got to know my teammates in terms of their strengths and weaknesses, and just used my head instead of my heart in choosing to who vote off. I guess it worked because I got this far. But not without some losses," Lancia said, looking sadly at me and Charming.

* * *

Sherman Betula, D7

"My question is for Angora. What would you do with the prize money?"

"First I'd buy my parents a nice house and set them all up. I've never really had fancy things so I don't know what I'd even buy. I think I'd live a pretty normal life and give most of my pension away."

* * *

 **To answer the questions bandied about in the reviews:**

 **Originally my plan was to somehow structure the reveal so that the voters would think only the Victor would ultimately live, because I wanted the votes to be based on life and death and not just victory. However, I'm pretty sure you all would have seen through me if I'd tried that, so I didn't bother. That's going to affect the votes, but I couldn't see any way around it.**

 **As for only the jury being alive, that _is_ unfortunate. Having everyone live seemed too good to be true. I could at least justify the jury as a Survivor reference. That's why I did the merge early, though- I wanted as many jury members as possible so more Tributes could live. Another perk of picking Trent to go right then was that no one active missed staying alive by a single chapter. Someone missed it by two, but at least it wasn't one. People who missed the jury have every right to be disappointed, but I tried to think of it as sparing half the Tributes, not excluding the others.**


	84. Finale, Part 2

Rahina Herrington, D11

"My question is for Hannah. Did you really like me as much as it seemed, or were you just being polite?"

"I always thought you got a raw deal. I thought you wouldn't have been so nasty if you hadn't had such a nasty life, and I was sure you weren't as mean as you pretended to be. If you'd ever had anyone act like you weren't trash, you might open up. I think you proved me right with the idol."

* * *

Camellia Spruce, D7

"My question is also for Hannah," I said. Hannah scrunched her hands behind her back and shrank into herself, knowing what I was going to ask.

"They told me everyone was going to vote for you. I thought mine wouldn't matter and I didn't want everyone else mad at me, so I gave in. Of course, none of them ended up voting for you, so it was just me. I didn't mean for it to happen that way. I'm sorry."

"That's what I thought," I said. "I only asked in case anyone else thought you did it deliberately."

* * *

Ash Summers, D3

"My question is for Lancia. What do you have to offer as a Victor?"

"Tributes don't interact with mentors of other Districts very often, so you probably don't know Six's only two Victors are both morphlings. We haven't had any Victors since largely because they can't help us at all. If I win, I can provide support to Tributes with a chance to win and peace to those who don't. I suppose that won't get me votes, since everyone else wants their own District to win, but I have to answer honestly."

* * *

Deme Fields, D9

"My question is for Angora. It seemed like there was something between us, especially toward the end. I'm not sure what it was, but maybe something. Did you feel the same way?"

"I think we didn't have enough time to know what might have been. Love takes more than a few weeks to grow, especially when we were usually stressed and exhausted and couldn't really interact. I don't want to cheapen what was there by exaggerating it for sympathy. I definitely counted you as a friend, and I could see it happening in the future, if you feel the same way."

* * *

Titian Qin, Head Gamemaker

"The questions, and the answers, are in. All that remains now is one final vote. Jury, it's time to make your choices." One by one, the not-dead-after-all nine wrote names on slips and dropped them in the urn.

"It's been a long haul these last few weeks. There have been plot twists and dramatic reveals, and I for one am glad to see eight of you back. But all good things must come to an end. It's time to unveil the Victor of the Forty-Seventh Hunger Games."

"First vote is for Hannah," I said. My own excitement was fake, since I already knew who the Victor was. I looked beforehand to place the votes in the most dramatic order. "Second vote is for Lancia. Hannah. Lancia. Lancia. Hannah. Three votes Hannah, three votes Lancia, three votes left. Our seventh vote is for Angora. Hannah and Lancia tied, Angora at one, two votes left. Our eighth vote is for Lancia. If the last vote is for Lancia, she will become the Victor. If it is for Hannah, we will go into a tiebreaker vote." I paused to survey the glorious spectacle of it all. I could tell Angora had never expected to win, and she looked happy to be alive and ready to cheer on whoever won. The jury was looking at each other knowingly, having no doubt discussed their votes after they cast them. Hannah and Lancia were holding hands. I took out the last vote, pretended to read it, and slowly turned it around.

"The winner of the Forty-Seventh Hunger Games is Lancia Audren."

* * *

 **It's weird to be done with the Games. It took so long because of the format that it felt like it would never be the end. I won't miss the insane (for a fanfic) amount of logistics and planning, but it was a good time. I think the only actually dead Tribute who didn't get an obituary left is Trent, and I'll do him next chapter because it felt weird to put that in the finale. The epitaphs for Tributes who came back were sort of a necessary plot hole. In Panem time they were only dead a few weeks at most, but if I stopped doing the epitaphs it would have given everything away.**

 **3rd place: Angora Chenille, D8- not dead**

 **I think Angora made it all the way to the end despite being no one's ultimate favorite was because the other finalists wanted someone they could beat. Crafty move, but at least in real Survivor that would have netted her 85000 dollars as of last season. I think I was the one who failed Angora. I didn't make her stand out as much- not intentionally, there's just always someone who slips through a bit. Sorry about that, Skyflapple, and at least she's alive. Despite my lackluster writing, I enjoyed her moments of venom and her peacemaker attitude.**

 **2nd place: Hannah Dandelion, D9- not dead**

 **I knew it would be either Lancia or Hannah, like everyone else. I would have been happy either way, but I agree with most readers that Hannah would have had more difficulty as a mentor. I'm glad she's alive and that the Dandelions didn't lose another child. She'll be happy at home living a nice, normal life. Thanks DestroynotCreate, and I should tell you that in voting Games, there's a significant amount of voter loyalty toward older submitters who haven't had a Victor yet. Second place is far above average for a new submitter's Tribute.**

 **Victor: Lancia Audren, D6**

 **Now that all the votes are in and I can't mess anything up, I can tell everyone I was hoping Lancia would win. While I would have been happy with anyone since I deliberately stayed more remote than normal, I had a few soft spots (Abrexa, Rahina, Ruby, Sammy and Lancia come to mind). Of the final three, I hoped Lancia would win because she was the closest to a Survivor winner and I liked the parallel, and also because I wanted Six to have a real mentor. It's been, what, twenty years and ten SYOTs since Toby won? I've had two winners from Two, Four, and Five, but none from Six. Now that's finally fixed. We're still waiting on Three and Seven though.**

 **That's all for the Arena, but of course there are some tidying-up chapters. I suppose there will be about three more, and then it will be back to normal Games.**

 **NOTE: I wrote too fast for Ash's submitter to be able to vote, but Angora's vote wasn't the bogus one. It was one of Hannah's votes.**


	85. Coronation

Toby Cash, D6 Mentor

Everyone seemed much happier than normal. Usually after the children left, they didn't come back. This time, the girl was here again. I wondered where the boy went.

* * *

District Six

We hardly knew how to feel. We felt guilty celebrating so much even though Trent was gone. Surely he would have wanted Lancia to win if he couldn't, but it didn't bring him back. It stung even more than he died one vote before he would have been safe. Trust the Capitol to demand applause for halving the number of kids it killed.

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

I was the least physically harmed Victor since Orchard. The only major change about me was my weight loss. Before I got Reaped, I used to have a little stubborn fat I could never get rid of. I lost fifteen pounds over the course of the game. Relatively speaking, that was nothing. Victors lost 20-30 pounds _on average._ None of us was fat before we went in, and some of us were tiny, like Ava. It wasn't necessary to do the huge recovery process for me, but the powers that be still insisted on a few procedures. I knew about all of them beforehand, but I still didn't have any say in them. I wasn't even allowed to see Toby or Otho, so I didn't have a single ally. After a blur of operations, I braced myself and stepped in front of a mirror.

All in all, it could have been worse. My single victory had been convincing the doctors that a gymnast shouldn't have huge round breasts. They refrained from augmenting mine, though they went ahead and made them more perky. Otherwise, they'd stuck with an "athletic chic" sort of theme. Since I was a girl, my muscles were hard to see, even though I was in peak condition. The doctors fluffed them up a bit so I looked totally ripped, though of course not ripped enough that I didn't look "pretty". My tan skin was shinier and the little extra fat I'd had was gone. My eyes were bigger, which grossed me out. I didn't want to know how they did that.

"Do you like it?" Otho asked as he burst through the open door. I hadn't invited him in, but he wasn't the type who needed an invitation. At least I knew he wasn't a vampire.

"It's okay, I guess," I said.

"I can't believe this has finally happened. Now we'll have a _real_ Victor. You'll be so much less boring than the other two," Otho said. Toby and his friend hadn't even come to visit. It wasn't that they didn't like me. They probably just didn't remember I existed.

"I'll try," I said. _Poor you, having to deal with two people so depressed and broken they never aren't high._

There was something unspeakably... intangible about my victory. I was the only one who won under my circumstances. I'd had plenty of time to think of it on the way back to the Capitol, so it wasn't like I woke up in a new body and remembered it all later. It was still surreal, but it was even weirder than normal, since I didn't even have a mentor to compare stories with. Even if Toby and Lena had been normal, they wouldn't have had the same experience. It was just me.

 _I won the Hunger Games._ It wasn't as stressful as usual, since victory came with a quiet announcement instead of a pool of blood. We were all excited to find out who would win, but it wasn't life and death anymore. After Titian announced I was the Victor, I got into a hovercraft with everyone else and landed in the Capitol. We said our goodbyes and everyone else got into other crafts to go back home. I didn't have to be concerned about 23 other kids being dead and being traumatized after a bloody fight. I was still sad about the kids that _did_ die, but it had been so long, I'd already worked through it someone. Mostly, my biggest concern was my new life as a Victor. My Games was so much lighter, I could afford to look ahead.

"Presenting Lancia Audren!" Caesar announced when I came onstage for my Victor interview. My time with my stylists proved that the Capitol could conceive of one attribute per Victor. I was the "athletic" one, so I wore a gold leotard with a fringe skirt. My makeup left nothing undecorated, and they might as well have applied it with a paint roller. I had star-shaped earrings and a laurel wreath necklace.

"This was a very unusual Games. What did you think of the whole experience?" Caesar asked.

"I'm very happy so many of my friends get to go home," I said. I left off the part about being sad about the ones who didn't.

"Be honest. Did you think you would win?" Caesar asked.

"I thought it would be me or Hannah," I said. My answers were less than stellar, and everyone knew the people wanted the replay, so Caesar went ahead and started it. The format of the Games meant it was basically a slideshow of the deaths, though a few of my moments were thrown in. They skipped the part where Cross and I talked about religion, of course.

The final seconds of the film segued into the Anthem, which heralded Snow's arrival. That was the part I had been dreading. He was just as snakelike and his hands just as flowery-smelling as I'd feared. I was glad when he said his piece and left. The _crown,_ however, was something I could appreciate. It was a circlet of red metal with a golden disc set over my forehead. It was a gold medal, for the competitor who won it all.

* * *

 **This was a strange experience from the start. Things are going to get weirder for a while as Lancia gets used to being rich and famous, but after that they'll settle. Just a few more chapters of Victory tour, initiation, and epilogue, plus some more information on the other Tributes.**


	86. Initiation

Lancia Audren, Victor

When I heard a knock on the door, I didn't expect to Nassor from District Nine outside. I expected even less to see all the other Victors crowded in behind him.

 _Did I break a Victor rule, and now they've all come for me?_ Nassor dispelled my concerns.

"We're here to welcome you to the group," he explained. "Normally your mentor would let you know, but... yours are different."

"What, like a party or something?" I asked.

"More or less. We all get together and do something. It's different for each new Victor," Nassor said. "Is there anything you'd like?"

I hadn't really been thinking of leisure time, even though I was a Victor now. I'd wanted to get home and get back into my routine. I'd lost a lot of muscle tone out on the island. Even if I'd been able to do my exercises, I couldn't have afforded the weight loss. I also wanted to start putting my prize to good use and make a difference in Six. But when I thought about it, there was one thing I could do, even though I was stuck in the Capitol.

"Let's all get together and paint," I said.

It might have been built on the backs of slaves and with the blood of poor people, but it was convenient to be able to get anything you wanted in the Games center. One of the Victors made a call and the supplies were there before we even made it to the top floor, where Nassor explained Victor meetings usually took place. Visitors weren't allowed there, so it was good for the Victors who weren't good with crowds or noise.

"Do you paint a lot?" Soleil asked as she effortlessly created a portrait of Hyden, who was more than eager to pose.

"Not really," I said. It was a comical exchange, since I was artlessly smearing colors around without any logic or pattern. Soleil knew I was not artist as much as I knew she was just being polite. I answered the question she was too tactful to ask.

"I wanted something Toby and Lena could be part of," I said. "At home, a lot of us think people like them are trash. No one who's not there knows what it takes to make a person get like that. I'm not naive enough to think I can fix them by myself, but I've been watching. They haven't shot up since we got here, and they won't as long as they can keep painting. I want that to last as long as it can."

The initiation was as much about meeting the Victors as it was about whatever activity we chose, and that gave me an excuse to stop pretending to paint and wander the room. Some Victors were actually _less_ artistic than I was, which made me feel better about myself. Pray, for example, had abandoned the brushes and was fingerpainting a very red and very bold tableau. Frankie had a very realistic style, naturally, and Seeder preferred pastel impressionism.

"What do you call that?" I asked Cornflower, who was adding tiny silver accents to an s-shaped sky blue curlicue.

"Fluvius," she said, indicating her escort, who was watching her paint.

"She has superthesia," he said proudly.

"That's _synesthesia,"_ Sky said.

"Do you see everyone like that?" I asked.

"Everyone is a different pattern," she said.

"I'm green and blocky," Shane said.

"What does Lancia look like?" Careen called from across the room. The other Victors joined in, urging Cornflower on. She didn't even look at me as she got another canvas and started painting, but then, she never looked at anyone.

Apparently I was kidney-bean shaped. Cornflower filled the shape with bright orang paint and stubbed her brush into the canvas, adding yellow shapes like tiny firewords. She added some thin straight black lines around the edges of the larger shape and twin curling black lines on the bottom, framing the shape. She added two more and then drew a thick scarlet line vertically through the middle of it all.

I wasn't sure if it was fine art or just plain weird, but it was nice to see it when it was finished. Some of the other Victors asked to go next and soon we were all painting portraits of each other in our various styles. I stuck by Toby and Lena, painting them even though I wasn't sure if they were painting anything at all in particular. It was a personal thing to paint somene's portrait, and if I was part of that group, it meant I was really one of them. It might not have been my priority at first, but I was glad it had happened. We were the only people in the world who could understand each other, or the closest thing in my case. That was something to cherish.

* * *

 **I had NO idea what to do for Lancia, but then I thought that her first thoughts would probably be for her mentors, since she actually cares about addicts. So we got this unexpected but revealing party.**

 **Generally I keep Cornflower on the down-low since I don't want to hog the spotlight, but some people wanted to see more of her and it actually fit here so I went for it. I actually drew the painting out on MS paint and that really is how I see Lancia. I helps me to differentiate between the characters and write them uniquely if I get a good grasp on their "color". Hannah, for example, was pink as all-get-out, Sammy was sky blue, and Rahina was gray-black. If anyone wants to see the painting I'll put it on Deviantart, but it's just an MS paint scribble and looks pretty much like described.**


	87. Victory Tour

**GUESS WHO'S BACK FROM WORK! And boy am I tired. I woke up at 6 PM and I still feel like a zombie.**

* * *

Lancia Audren, D6

The Victory Tour was surreal. Half the Tributes were still alive, and they were all celebrities in their Districts, so they all turned out to see me. There were a lot of old allies and a few old less-than-allies.

Ruby was still dead, but Charming was alive and kicking. He was cordial, but I didn't think he was happy to see me. Victory in this Games would have been less desirable than normal for a Career, but it was in his blood. I won, he didn't, and I wasn't his very favorite person. The District as a whole was less hostile than usual, though, for the exact same reason.

I'd never seen Abrexa so happy. I found a minute with her during all the fuss and asked her how she'd been doing.

"I can come clean now. I never wanted to volunteer. Now that you're the winner and I'm eighteen, I can do what I really want. This is the best thing that could have happened to me. I hope you have a ton of fun being a Victor," she said. As I left, she waved as she stood next to a woman I assumed was her mother.

My old pal Ash was there to welcome me to Three. He looked happy to be in Three- probably happy that _I_ was the one stuck with Capitol politics and not him. I was sorry Sparkil wasn't there. We voted her out early because she was a threat mentally and physically, not realizing that if we'd kept her around, she probably wouldn't have gotten the votes. If we'd know how things were going to end, she'd still be alive.

Four was the first District that lost both its Tributes. As a result, they were the first one that was really mad to see me. I made an awkward speech and ate an awkward dinner as they glared at me. The fish was slimy and the bones stuck in my throat. I didn't know how they could do it. After just two months, I never wanted to eat another fish.

Five lost both its Tributes too. The absence of Sammy hit me harder than any other. She would have gotten the votes no problem if she'd been alive. If we'd just made it to the merge, that wonderful girl would be here cheering me on. I could barely make it through the meal. Cain at least wouldn't have wanted to be a Victor. He did something braver than all of us ever could have done, and I was happy for him that he wasn't stuck in this world anymore.

Sherman and Camellia were both waiting for me at Seven. Sherman's face said all was forgiven, especially since we were in the same boat all along. Camellia was happy as a clam, of course. She didn't win, but she was happy I did. She waved like a maniac until she fell off the railing she was sitting on. I called her up to my table and we shot the breeze until I had to leave.

Angora was somewhere in the crowd, but I didn't see her during my time in Eight. Of course I was more preoccupied with Cross, my closest ally.

"Good luck in the Capitol. I'll be praying for you," he said. Before I went, we swapped addresses so we could keep in touch.

It was great to see Hannah and Demetrius alive. Nine had a table set up just for us so we could catch up.

"Being a Victor would have been fun, but I'm just glad I didn't die and my parents didn't lose another kid," Hannah said.

"And I'm glad it didn't turn me into even more of something I wasn't," Dem said. Hannah and I both jumped in to correct him. He'd been the nicest, most caring one of us since the start. He had nothing to feel guilty over.

"You better buy lots of expensive things with all that money," Hannah joked. "For the rest of us still stuck in the dumps."

Of the two from Ten, I was unashamedly glad it was Bailey who remained.

"But you got eaten by a _shark!"_ I said.

"It was hollow," she shrugged. I wondered if I would be allowed to have visitors or at least visit them. I definitely would if I could.

Rahina didn't show up to the parade. Although she was only neutral towards me, I knew I wasn't the problem. Titian was also there, and that was a face she could do without. I hoped that whatever dirty shack she was in, that she at least had some food.

It _would_ be Twelve that lost both children. Twelve, the crappiest District out of eleven crappy Districts. Twelve, whose feast insisted almost entirely of Capitol food, instead of District delicacies like every other District. Both their kids died early. Then they watched the rest of the Games like a bunch of ghosts. Just like they did every year but one.

* * *

 **Just one more chapter, I think. I'll start on it right now.**


	88. Epilogues

Lancia Audren, Victor

There were a lot of annoyances to being a Victor. I didn't mean to be ungrateful- it was _amazing_ to be rich and to never get Reaped again- but I could have done without the artificial fame. I won the Games, but that was the past. I was ready to get back to living. I was glad a few months after my victory when the Capitol visitors stopped camping out on my lawn and started preparing for the next Games. I still had to go to Capitol events and do Capitol things now and then, but I developed a routine. Early in the morning I got up and did my workout. After that I could play around in my basement gym until lunch. After lunch until dinner was free time. After dinner I answered fan mail, signed autographs, made online appearances, or whatever else the Capitol wanted. It was all about finding balance. Balance was the center of my life, after all.

* * *

 **Lancia Audren** performed her Victor duties dutifully, but she preferred to stay home in Six and continue her own life, occasionally writing to her friends from the Games. She already had a talent, of course. She also devoted much of her free time to a cause, an activity many Victors took up after their wins. She naturally chose addiction as her cause and set up multiple free detox clinics around Six, each of which provided counseling. Finally, she hired a daily service to deliver healthy meals to her neighbors Toby and Lena and to check that they'd eaten them.

* * *

 **Charming Goodwin** continued to be a golden boy in his District. He was highly sought after as a private consultant for Academy students, selecting only the applicants who were worth his time. He also attained significant wealth from strategic business investments and owned silent shares in most of One's influential companies.

* * *

Since she was now past Reaping age, **Abrexa James, Jr's** family no longer had any hold on her. After they got over their initial disappointment that she hadn't won, they moved on to nagging other people. Abrexa took advantage of this freedom to follow her passion. She obtained her MD and set up a psychiatry practice, specializing in trauma counseling.

* * *

 **Bailey Arrayo's** life returned to normal after the Games. She, Hannah and Camellia kept in touch with occasional letters. She earned a modest living racing horses and enjoyed riding Quicksilver throughout the fields, just like old times.

* * *

 **Cross Spaulding** s continued his work in his family's underground church. He stayed in contact with Lancia, who became a valuable ally in the Capitol. She subtly lobbied the Capitol to relax their surveillance on underground churches and did her best to warn him of impending crackdowns. Cross' work in the church focused on charity and outreach. He married Claira at 20 and they raised a son together.

* * *

 **Sherman Betula** returned to Seven and resumed his life. When his sister Alnus' teacher retired, he became smitten with her replacement and began to woo her. They married after a year and moved into a house near Sherman's family. They had three children and regularly visit Sherman's parents' house for flapjack dinners.

* * *

 **Rahina Herrington** lived in Eleven for one month after the Games. She was then arrested and falsely convicted of assaulting a visiting Capitolite. The charges were, of course, arranged by Titian, who ensured that she was Avoxed and sent to the Capitol. He arranged for her to serve at a friend's house, intending to lord it over her for the rest of her life. She served for two weeks before she escaped. Titian's manhunt was unsuccessful, and she now lives in the Capitol streets instead of the Eleven streets. She doesn't mind the loss of her tongue, since she doesn't think most people are worth speaking to. She enjoys the much higher quality of life in the Capitol, even for street kids. Though she has no fixed address and cannot receive the letters Hannah wanted to send, she sends her friend letters a few times a year.

* * *

 **Camellia Spruce** was happy on the island. She remains happy in Seven, back in her shop carving stuff and selling it to people. She might have been able to work her way up and own the shop, but she is unambitious and a little bit lazy. She prefers to keep her low-stress job and live a modest life, joking and playing with her friends.

* * *

 **Ash Summers** married his girlfriend Lucy. They decided to remain childless. He lived a conventional life in Three, working beside his wife in the factories during the day and returning home at night to enjoy his free time. He was loved by the children of Three for his willingness to participate in their cobbled-together games of baseball in the streets.

* * *

 **Demetrius Fields** ' assistance with his little sister's schoolwork paid off when he decided to become a teacher. He taught all subjects in a one-room schoolhouse, but his favorite was gym, a subject of his own creation. He wasn't paid for the class, which was considered an elective, but he greatly enjoyed his time to play with all the schoolkids. Because of the obvious difficulties in courting a girl he barely knew and who lived in another District, he did not end up marrying Angora. She remained in his memories as the one who got away. Whether or not it had anything to do with her, he remained unmarried.

* * *

 **Angora Chenille's** family dress shop enjoyed a sudden and enormous surge in sales for a short time after the Games as Capitolites fought over the chance to own a dress designed by an "undiscovered minor District celebrity". The fad quickly died down, but the large prices paid by status-seeking Capitolites left the Chenilles with enough money to live comfortably for life. After her correspondence with Demetrius faded into a yearly friendly letter, Angora began a relationship with a lower-class factory worker.

* * *

 **Hannah Dandelion** kept in close contact with Bailey, Lancia, and Camellia. She took over her parents' bakery when she was old enough. It became a social hub for the District and she greatly enjoyed the company and friendly faces. She thought often of Rahina and did her best to stay in contact despite her friend's constant changes of address.

* * *

 **It seemed to fit better if I made a shorter final POV for Lancia and then went into the epilogues. Everyone gets one this time, since there were so many survivors. It's nice to see how everyone else is carrying on and continuing their lives. If anyone wants to change their Tribute's epilogue, I can do that.**

 **That's about all for another story. It certainly was unique. It seems I, as well as the others who did Survivor HG stories at the same time, have started a trend. I'm excited to read all the other ones and see how they differ and look alike. It's been a challenge, and some great stuff came out of it.**

 **UP NEXT: submissions are pretty much always open for my SYOTs. They're open now, but it will take a bit. I'm doing another Calvary-type story next. There's going to be a Resurrection Games in a few more stories, and there's someone I wanted to make into a Victor because I favored him or her so much it would ruin everyone else's chances. So the schedule goes like this:**

 **Up next: Short sub-Games with pre-determined Victor (won't take as long because there's only 10 POVs)**

 **After that: Normal SYOT for which I already have some submissions**

 **After that: Resurrection Games. No reservations needed because slots are unlimited.**

 **It's been fun. Until next time!**

 **UPDATE: the new story is up under Cruel Mercy.**


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